Evermore
by Zapenstap
Summary: Fruits Basket Fantasy. A mysterious being in a strange world collects cursed souls. An unusal messenger arrives to warn the Sohmas... or betray them. In a place called Evermore, a strange destiny awaits. All characters. Canon pairings. Not AU
1. The Bracelet

I haven't written a fic of this imaginative scope ever, but fantasy is what I gear my original work toward so I am very interested in feedback!  If you like Fruits Basket, fantasy, action, intrigue and romance please give this story a shot.  It starts out in-series after whatever manga translation I've read last and gradually does its own thing.  I hope to keep everyone in character, get into their heads, complicate their relationships, throw in some action, some carefully crafted and necessary original characters (don't be immediately turned off), some love, some danger, some drama and possibly break a curse.  Tohru x (Yuki/Kyo), Kureno/Uo, Hiro/Kisa, Haru/Rin, ?/? 

*kakigori is kinda like a snow cone.  Shaved ice with flavored syrup.  

No, I don't know why the title doesn't center.  It looks centered before I upload.  Thanks for reading!

Evermore

Chapter One

By zapenstap

            The rooms Akito occupied were darkened.  With the doors and windows to the garden open or the curtains pulled aside, white light from outside streamed into the darkened interior, but the sunbeams only stretched so far across the room's wooden floors and there were always corners that collected gloom.  Today, the curtains were pulled halfway shut and the electric lights turned off.  Akito claimed that the light hurt his eyes.  Whether or not it was true was uncertain.  It was sometimes difficult to tell Akito's lies and deceptions and conceits from his real ailments.  Even Hatori could not be entirely sure.  

            Shigure knelt just inside the door as he always did, patience oozing from every pore, maintaining a soothing, knowledgeable smile.  It was important never to appear upset, to always appear calm and in control and trustworthy, not demanding.  Never that.  When anyone grew demanding around Akito, or emotional, or rebellious, he became upset, and that was bad for everyone's health. Akito was the master and Shigure was loyal, but the relationship was painful.  And yet, from this position he had to do what he could. Everything depended on Akito.  It had to.  He couldn't be wrong after all this time, after all his patient work.  It could be frustrating when so much depended on so many minute details, but he had to see it through if there was to be any hope for anyone.  And yet, as time drew on, nothing changed—or at least not anything significant—and he wasn't sure the minute fluctuations were enough.  And yet… There had to be a way.

            Patiently.  

            "Is it any different?"

            Akito stood by the doorway to his garden, half slouched against the frame, his head leaning on the wall as he looked through the curtains at the flowers and plants and walkways that were maintained for him everyday.  He watched his garden with a bored expression, his eyes hooded by the same gloom that darkened the room.  

            "No, Akito-san," Shigure said cleanly and clearly.  It was no good mumbling, or trying to hide anything.  Akito knew somehow.  It seemed sometimes that he always knew what all the Juunishi, what The Twelve, were thinking and feeling, knew how to read them.  That he was so intelligent was part of the problem, that and everything else.  Controlling Akito was not an option.  It never had been.  All his life, ever since he was a baby, he could not be controlled or disciplined or taught any more than he could be touched and praised and loved, only doted upon, sometimes led, and if you were very, very careful, manipulated.  But that was dangerous.  Nobody knew more about manipulation than Akito.  So under his calm smile, Shigure sweated.

            "She really is worthless then," Akito murmured.  He turned from the door, his eyes sliding across the room, glancing lazily at the white bird that fed from a water tray to the ikebana that sat so delicately on the empty table in the corner.  There was little else in the room to look at.  Akito had never had any possessions, no material things that a godhead did not need, unless one counted the Juunishi themselves.

            His eyes fell next upon Shigure, and his lips curved into one of those secret smiles that hid some writhing mess of affection and hatred, frustration and bitterness.  He wasn't angry today, and Shigure, who was sensitive to his moods after all this time of working with him, or trying to, was thankful for that at least.  Sometimes he wondered if it wouldn't be a bad idea to rile him up more, to make him openly angry more often, to let him vent his pent up emotions, but he also feared any such action as the consequences could be disastrous. Patience for now.  Minute changes.

            "I knew she couldn't do any good," Akito continued, and Shigure settled himself for the long train of thoughts that Akito had stored up to tell one of the few people who would listen to anything he ever said.  "That's why I let her try.  Because it's hopeless.  _Life_ is hopeless.  When I die, I want you all to know how hopeless life is.  You will thank me for telling you, so you don't have to go through the hardship of discovering it for yourself.  Even Tohru Honda will come to see that it is true.  Just watch."  He paused, as if considering something.  "Do the rat and the monster still fight?"

            "Almost everyday, Akito-san."

            He smirked. "Of course they do.  You see?  That is the way it was meant to be.  That is how it was decided.  Everything follows a plan and the plan can not be changed.  You are all mine.  You are all cursed.  Even when I die you are still mine.  There is nothing except the Curse.  But for awhile we will be happy, living out our time together.  For a time before I die, after graduation, all the Twelve will be together, the way it was meant to be, and I will take care of everyone.  That is my happy dream for you."

            Shigure remained silent, but his silence was acceptance and they both knew it.

            Akito took a few shuffling paces, moving very slowly as if to conserve energy.  He never moved quickly unless he was angry, and then he struck like a viper, lightning quick and too fast to counter.   The expression in his eyes deadened for a moment when he stopped just before Shigure's kneeling form, staring into the shadowed corners of the room.  He looked away, ignoring the dog at his feet as if Shigure didn't exist, then turned his head and took note of him abruptly.   His lips curved in a smile, light dancing in the deep places of his dark eyes.  "It is good that you are loyal to me, Shigure.  It is good that you know your place."  He leaned forward, looking just past Shigure's eyes.  "The others will also come to know their place.  It is my will and my wish that everyone knows where they belong so that they can be as happy as they can be, being forever cursed." He straightened, and turned, walking slowly over the water dish where the bird sipped obliviously.  "They will understand one day why it has to be so.  Just remember, it is because of me that anyone is able to live."

            "You are the most important, Akito-san."

            "Of course I am. That's how it was decided."  He paused, and then said negligently, "you may leave me alone now."

            Shigure stood, suppressing the urge to sigh. He watched Akito's back for a minute, feeling sorrowful and regretful and fighting the twinges of frustration.  How long would they have to play these games?  Akito was ignoring him now.  His head was bent over the white bird, coaxing it onto his finger.  Shigure gathered himself to go.

            It was then that Akito's neck snapped up suddenly, his eyes flying open.  A brief instant of what looked like shock twisted his face, and then he let out an ear-splitting shriek that shook the walls.  The bird ascended into the air in a flurry of white feathers as Akito wilted to the floor, clutching his head and screaming.

            Shigure was by his side in a moment, kneeling to touch his shoulders, shaken by the sound.  His eyes scanned Akito's form but there didn't seem to be anything the matter with him.  "Akito!  What is it? What's wrong?"

            Akito lifted his head, teeth gritted in something like pain.  One of his hands clutched the hand Shigure's had placed on his shoulder, long thin fingers curling around the writer's wrist.  His screams died, but his lips twisted in a snarl.  He stared off into nothing, hardly noting Shigure at all.  "It's not me."  He panted, his voice sounding strained.  His eyes blazed. "Find Hatori!"

*****

            "It's hot today," Arisa said, brushing her hair off her forehead with the back of her hand.  "What do you guys say to some ice cream or kakigori or something?  Tohru?  Hana?  Kyo?  Prince?"

            "Well," Yuki murmured in his usual soft tones.  "Something to eat couldn't hurt.  I don't know of any places near school, though."

            "Wha?  Are you kidding?" Arisa said.  "Prince, you really need to get out more.  Are you telling me you come here for most the day everyday for three years and you've never explored the area around campus?"

            "Most people attend classes during school, Arisa," Saki Hanajima interposed in a dead-pan tone.  

            "Oh yeah," Arisa intoned.  "I guess with your being class president and all you probably shouldn't skip.  What about before school?"

            "He sleeps until the last damned minute," Kyo said.

            "Late riser, huh?" Arisa said before Yuki could respond with a biting reply.  "I never would have guessed it about the Prince.  What about after school?"

            "I have meetings most days," Yuki replied. 

            Tohru smiled.  Walking in the midst of all her friends, she was content to be silent and enjoy their company.  As they talked to one another, she listened, reminding herself of all the things she loved about these people whose personalities were so different and admiring the way their differences made their good qualities sparkle so uniquely.  She wondered how she could be so lucky to have such great friends, diverse people who cared about her as much as these people did.

            "What do you want, Tohru?" Arisa asked.  "Ice cream or kakigori?"

            "Uh…either sounds fine to me," Tohru replied.

            "Can't you make up your mind about anything?" Kyo demanded.  "You're as bad as that damn Yuki.  It's not that hard.  Ice cream or shaved ice?"  

            The five of them were walking on the sidewalk just outside the school's main building.  School had gotten out a little early because an all-school assembly at the end of the day hadn't gone as long as planned.  Yuki was upset about it.  The assembly was planned by the student council, but half of what they were supposed to present hadn't been organized because the council members were flakes and Yuki couldn't do all the work himself.  Tohru had listened to Yuki complain about student council a time or two, but though she didn't tell him, she secretly thought that this was good for Yuki.  Being in a leadership position forced him to make decisions, which, as Kyo noted, he wasn't always good at, and it was challenging him in social ways too.  Tohru remembered that Yuki had been afraid to be the council president, and almost hadn't agreed to do it, but she was glad he did.  She hoped that with time he would surprise himself and…

            "Hello?  Hey!  I asked you a question!"

            Tohru blinked out of her thoughts, looking in confusion at Kyo.  Then she remembered.  Ice cream?  Shaved ice?  "Oh!  Um…uh…" She rubbed her head in embarrassment and confusion.

            "Be nice to her," Yuki said sharply.  "Give her time to think!"

            "It's not a difficult question!" Kyo snapped back, and eyed Tohru sideways.  "She looks like she was thinking about something else entirely."

            Tohru realized she must have been staring at Yuki and flushed scarlet.  Yuki was appraising Kyo coolly.  Kyo's teeth were clenched as he glared back in response.

            "Tohru has trouble staying focused sometimes," Arisa said.

            "You're one to talk," Saki murmured.

            Tohru swung her eyes between Kyo and Yuki, frozen as she watched their faces change from mere annoyance to genuine dislike and disintegrating sharply into anger.  Yuki's soft, delicate features took on a blade-sharp edge has his eyes narrowed and glinted fiercely.  Kyo's face turned a shade of angry red, his fists clenched and his shoulder muscles shaking.  "Um…you guys?" Tohru interjected, waving her hands.  "I didn't mean to start a fight.  I'll decide okay?" She squeezed her eyes shut, envisioning ice cream and kakigori and trying to feel out which one seemed tastier.  "Ice cream!" she said. "No!  Kakigori!

            When she opened her eyes, Kyo and Yuki were still eyeing each other, but with her last utterance Kyo broke eye contact with Yuki, put his fist on his hips and looked at her.  "Come on now. Really."

            Yuki smiled at her.  "It's okay, Miss Honda.  Take your time.  We'll be happy with whatever you decide."

            "I would like some chocolate truffles," Saki said suddenly, interrupting Tohru's blank reply, one finger on her chin and eyes raised to the sky.

            "Oh yeah," Arisa said, turning to her.  "That sounds good.  I know a chocolate shop down the street that's got some really good selections.  Let's go there."

             Yuki and Kyo both blanched, freezing in time and space.  "I thought you said you were hot!" Kyo shouted.

            "Well, now I feel like chocolate," Arisa said, declining a verbal battle.

            "I've decided!" Tohru cried, raising a triumphant hand into the air. "Chocolate ice cream!"

            "Yeah, sure." Arisa gave a slow, measuring blink.  "I know an ice cream shop too."

            "With truffles," Saki added, and began walking supposedly in the direction of the shop, eyes staring straight ahead at a determined goal that only they could see.  The others slowly fell in on her heels.

            "Fine," Kyo said, and his eyes remained glued to Yuki in an unspoken challenge.  Yuki did not say anything.

            "Uh yeah," Tohru said nervously.  "That sounds good.  Let's go."

            Tohru fretted as they walked.  Kyo and Yuki flanked her on either side, Yuki gliding in step with her on her left and Kyo striding forcibly on her right.  She kept her arms and elbows in, shuffling along between them as she looked back and forth from one to the other, trying to read their thoughts in their expressions.  Kyo wore his feelings on his sleeve, his expression suppressed frustration and determination fueled by an angry rage that he simmered for the purpose.  Yuki's face was unreadable, cool and composed, a mystery hidden behind a careful mask.  His eyes were large and luminous like mirrors.  Sometimes those eyes expressed such deep hurt and uncertainty that Tohru ached for him deep in her breast, but right now they were icy walls, not windows, and nothing of his thoughts could be read in any of his features.  

            Tohru's own expression wilted a little as she thought about these two young men who were so different and so special to her.  She was sure they cared about her a great deal, though she wasn't sure when or why, and she cared deeply for them, so deeply that she could never take sides.  She wouldn't allow herself to think on anything that would complicate the situation further. She could never choose one over the other.   It was much easier for things to remain as they were.  Yeah. Sure.  She was their friend, and they were hers, even though the feelings she had were so very deep, so deep that they sometimes frightened her when she was alone and thinking of them… even though…

            "Wait," Saki said suddenly, and stopped.

            Kyo almost bumped into her, and flushed under Yuki's assessing stare.

            "I sense something," Saki continued.  She scanned the surroundings, her eyes gliding over trees and bushes and rooftops.

            "Like what?" Kyo demanded casually.   "Can't it wait?  I'm starving."

            "Something strange," Saki said.

            Tohru stared at her friend.  Sometimes Hana's electric pulse picked up signals that were unusual.  She could detect the Sohma curse, Tohru knew, even if she didn't know what it was.  Every once and awhile Tohru worried that Hana would figure it out, but so far nothing like that had happened, perhaps because Saki was afraid of her own power and rarely used it for anything except shooing the Prince Yuki Fanclub when they became bothersome.   That she was picking up something now that worried her enough to say something about it was troublesome.

            "I'm curious," Arisa said.  "What does it feel like?"

            "I'm not sure," Saki said.  Her expression was always flat, her emotions carefully constrained.   "It feels…supernatural."  Her expression narrowed.  "I'm not exactly sure how to describe it.  Energy waiting to be expelled, a watching presence…"

            "I don't feel anything," Kyo said, scratching his head. Kyo shrugged his shoulders, looking from side to side nervously.  Tohru noticed him fidgeting, something he rarely did.  He spun the bracelet on his wrist, spinning it around and around.  "But you know, _you're creeping me out," he said to Hana.  "I think the strangest thing around here is you."  Tohru watched Kyo worriedly.  He never touched that bracelet._

            "Maybe some ice cream will help?" Arisa suggested.  "It could be one of those fangirls stalking Yuki.  They're kind of supernatural.  Well, they're not normal anyway."

            "Maybe," Saki said, but the way she said it sounded like 'no, definitely not.'

            "Stop that," Yuki said suddenly in Kyo's direction.  Tohru heard the "stupid cat" inference that was dropped in front of Saki and Arisa.  "Stop spinning that thing.  You look like an idiot.  It's probably nothing."

            Saki flashed Yuki a look, then glanced at Kyo's bracelet.  "Yes," she said, and turned abruptly away. "It's probably nothing.  My electric signals tell me there is chocolate this way."

            "Aw, come on, Hana," Arisa said, catching up with her in a light trot as Saki continued on her way to the ice cream shop with a purposeful glide.  "_I believe you."_

            Tohru was left with Yuki and Kyo as Arisa followed Saki out of school grounds and around the corner.

            "Um, maybe we should catch up?" Tohru said, gesturing vaguely in the direction of Arisa's retreating form.  She smiled to lighten the mood, but nobody was looking at her.

            Yuki was staring Kyo down, his face a cold mask of disapproval.  "You draw attention to that cursed thing and you'll get us all in trouble."

            "We're both cursed," Kyo said, but he looked away, avoiding Yuki's glare.  "Just leave over, okay?  It felt funny."

            "What are you talking about?" Yuki demanded.

            Kyo touched the beads on his wrist.  "It…prickled.  Just for a moment.  It's gone now."  Yuki continued to stare.  Kyo's teeth clenched.  "You know, that psychic girl was creeping me out.  I probably just imagined it."  He looked at Tohru suddenly, noticing her staring at him with concern and worry.  Anger boiled in his eyes.  "What are _you_ looking at?  I said it's nothing!"

            Tohru flinched. 

            Nobody said anything for a full minute. Kyo flushed and looked away, ashamed of his outburst and unable to meet her eyes.

            "It surprises me again and again how much of an idiot you are," Yuki said condescendingly.  Tohru bit her tongue.  "What surprises me even more is that I bother to spend time in your presence.  I don't know how _anybody_ can stand you."  Tohru suddenly felt two pairs of eyes turn to look at her.

            Kyo bristled.  

            "There's a reason the Cat is an outcast," Yuki said.

            "There's a reason they say the Rat is hateful!" Kyo shouted back.

            Tohru's stomach jumped until she felt queasy. Yuki was just blowing off steam from the day's frustrations but Kyo was really upset.  She could see it all over his face and in every shake of his body and stutter in his tongue.   He was blaming himself, blaming his temper, his lack of self-control, maybe even his existence, and Yuki was just making it worse, perhaps without really realizing it.  She opened her mouth to stop it, but she knew, even before a whisper of protest escaped her lips, that it was too late.

            "Damn you to hell, you damn rat!" Kyo exploded, his face flushing red with rage and shame and desperation.  Fury tensed his muscles as the orange-haired youth flung himself at Yuki.  "I'll kill you this time!"

            All that fire met a wall of cool ice as Yuki stepped smoothly backward, blocked Kyo's first punch, deflected his second and sent him sprawling backward with a well-aimed kick.  Kyo toppled, thudding violently against the ground with a string of curses.  He hit the earth and rolled face-down, clouds of dust flying up where his body landed.

            "Yuki…" Tohru appealed.

            Kyo leaped suddenly to his feet, shoes scuffing the dirt.  His eyes caught hers briefly, filled with pain and spent rage that has disintegrated to frustration and a deep, soul-scorching shame.  His eyes caught hers and then he turned, dirt on his cheek, and bolted out of her sight, disappearing alone into the woods.

            "…don't," Tohru finished.  Her heart ached.  "Oh, Kyo."

            Yuki watched Kyo disappear from where he stood.  It was plain that he was angry too, both at Kyo and at himself.  "I don't know why I act like that around him," he said.  "Miss Honda, I'm sorry.  I shouldn't have said those things, at the very least for your sake.  I know you want us to try to get along.  It's just…I don't know.  I lose my temper when he's around."

            Tohru lowered her eyes.  She hoped that Yuki just couldn't see how Kyo was hurting like she could.  She couldn't let herself believe that Yuki was aware of Kyo's pain and was that insensitive to it. Well, maybe he was in some ways, but… 

            She felt Yuki's hand on her shoulder.  "Miss Honda, he's not hurt, just angry with me.  He'll come back home by dinner, I'll bet.  Please, let me escort you home.  Unless you still want some ice cream?  I'll buy you some if you'd like."

            They cared so much about her.  It was really amazing.

            She shook her head.  "No," she said. "It's okay.   I shouldn't get upset.  We'll just go home and I can get started on dinner."  She smiled for his benefit and he smiled back as she allowed him to walk her home.  She would talk to Saki and Arisa later since it might be difficult to find them now.  She didn't know where the ice cream store was either!

*****

            Kyo ran until he was tired, stopping when he could run no more and putting his hands on his knees, leaning forward to keep from getting dizzy.  Heaving deep breaths, he waited until his heart beat slowed a bit and then sat down on a boulder that jutted up out of the ground.  He had run between trees, jumped a fence and ran past various school buildings until he found himself behind the school's maintenance building on the far side of campus.  Here there was a furnace, a coiled hose, a discarded rake, a dumpster and a view of the street, but no people in sight.  It was the perfect place to be alone.

            Not that he was going to cry or anything.

            Instead he just sat, taking in breaths and turning his thoughts over in his head.

            Yuki was right.  That was what hurt so much, what cut so deeply.

            _You're a monster.  You were born a monster and you will always be a monster. _

            Akito's voice.  Damn him.  Kyo wished it was easy to say "screw it.  I don't believe you."  He wished he could just shrug it off, go his own way.  But he couldn't.  Even he, the outcast, cursed and excluded, could not defy Akito, could not talk back to him. Why?  Why couldn't he just be himself, what other people thought be damned?  Why did it matter so much what Akito said?

            _I'll still come and visit you.  I'll be by your side.  You won't be lonely._

            In a cage.  

            Was his fate to be alone with only Akito for company?  As soon as he graduated High School he was going to be locked up.  He tried not to think about it, to live his life with the time he had.  And for the time being he had Tohru, for just a little while, someone who accepted him, even if she was afraid of monsters. Lifting his wrist, he looked at his beads, knowing them for what they were.  Human bones, a reminder that someone somewhere sometime in the past had died so that he might wear the shape of a human being for awhile when really…he was a monster.  Who had thought that worth it?  What magic had even made it possible?  He could never understand and yet he was grateful for it.  And hated it.  But did he hate himself?  No, he couldn't.  For some reason he really couldn't.

            Kyo stood up, stretching his back and looking toward the sky.   Blue skies again.  Always blue skies whenever he felt down.  It reminded him of Tohru, so tranquil and lovely and high above.  He scratched his head.  She was kinda like a cloud in a way…all floaty and bouncy and pure and cleansing.  Or was that a bit of stretch?  

            He was kinda hungry.  Thinking of Tohru made him think of food.  What time was it?  He'd been sitting and thinking for awhile.  It was probably pretty close to dinner time.  And Tohru was making salmon tonight so he really wasn't about to miss it.  He could just avoid Yuki for awhile, not that he didn't _always try to avoid Yuki.  It wasn't like he had to talk to any of those people.  Sometimes his thoughts just popped out.  And then he got in trouble.  He could never be polite and withdrawn and diplomatic like Yuki, not that he would want to be anything like Yuki __ever, though it did annoy him how easily Yuki learned things and how good he was at everything he tried.  Still…_

            Kyo was still musing when he caught a sound like the scrape of metal, a metallic twang that rang in his ears.  Immediately, ever muscle in his body was alert.  He turned, raising his hands and bracing his feet defensively, catching the whisper of danger in the air as a shadow rushed at him from an unexpected angle.   He wasn't sure what he expected.  Some idiot playing a prank perhaps, but whatever he could have foreseen, he never could have anticipated the flesh-tearing pain in his side as a knife pierced deeply into his body.

            The pain left him speechless, crippling his senses.

            His legs buckled and he collapsed, his scream sputtering into a shocked gasp that failed to expel energy.  His breath swallowed itself and he struggled to cry out as he felt the weight of someone pinning him down, crushing his lungs.  A hand darted out, and he felt his chin slam up against his teeth as his jaw was struck from underneath, silencing any sound he might have made.  His eyes briefly caught the image of boots, a male form, of dark hair, but he couldn't keep them open.  His own hands flailed, but there was blood on his fingers, and the sensations in his head were haze.  Pain consumed everything, a flare of sharp, biting fire that pushed out all emotions and muted all his senses.

            The weight left his body and he cried out raggedly, one hand going automatically to his side, covering a wound that bled through his fingers and upon the grass.  A shadow moved over him, a body stepping over him, he surmised, and then disappeared, his assailant vanishing, leaving him where he lay.  Kyo couldn't think about it.  He could hardly think at all.  His body was weakening with the loss of blood.  If he transformed he might not survive.  Hell, he might not survive anyway.  

            He struggled to breathe, struggled to get to his knees, pressing his ripped shirt to his side, a shirt that was soaked through with blood. He looked down at the wound, feeling nauseous by the sight of it, sickened in his stomach, and realized at the same time with greater horror that his bracelet was gone. 

TBC

Thus ends chapter one.  This story is original in its conception, but it is also a bit of a project so if you like the story and want to see more, please write a review.  I do like writing for myself, but I also like my work to be read by other people.  It means a great deal to me.  Thank you very much!  Please proceed to the next chapter. ^_^


	2. Belduine

I don't know why the centering fails to center when I upload, but I think I ought to own the rights to Fruits Basket, don't you?  No?  Well, sadly I don't, but maybe I will someday. ^_^

Evermore

Chapter 2

By zapenstap

            The flutter of wings caught Tohru's attention as a dozen white birds were startled out of a nearby bush.  She stepped back, schoolbag swinging in front of her, and watched with a widening smile as the birds lifted weightlessly into the air, chirping in a chorus of sounds as the white feathery softness of their wings flashed brightly against the sky.  

            "Oh, Yuki," she said, tilting her head back.  "Did you see that?"  She watched the birds soar higher, wings lengthening as one as they blended in with the clouds that drifted lazily overhead.  

            "See what?"  He looked up.  "Oh, the birds.  There are lots of those kinds of birds around here."

            "They're really beautiful," Tohru said.  "I never noticed before."

            Yuki smiled at her appreciatively with a soft-eyed, sweet smile.  She felt uncomfortable under his gaze, unable to process what sort of emotions would make him look at her quite like that.  She was saved when something behind her caught his attention and his eyes flickered away from her face.  "Oh hey," he said. "There's the ice cream shop your friend Miss Uotani was talking about.   Would you still like one, Miss Honda?"

            "Oh," she said uncertainly.  "I don't know.  We shouldn't spoil dinner."

            "It's just an ice cream," he said.  "Why don't I buy one for you?"

            Tohru's heart fluttered and she smiled foolishly, her mind skirting around the intention of Yuki's question.  It would be rude to refuse, and she loved ice cream, but she didn't know why he offered to buy her one.  It couldn't be because he liked her.  No no no!  He was just trying to be nice, because they had talked before about getting ice cream and he felt badly for making her worry by fighting with Kyo.  "Sure," she accepted.  "I'll have chocolate."  She held up a finger.  "But next time you have to let me buy you one!"

            He smiled at her.  "All right.  I'll be right back then."

            She remained outside, enjoying the warmth of an afternoon's golden sunshine on her skin, and was glad that she could enjoy walking home with someone like Yuki on a day such as today.  She was still worried about Kyo, and though she would have preferred to have his company too, she tried not to worry too much.  Sometimes she felt her concern for the Sohmas was intrusive and she had to remind herself not to overcrowd them, especially when they had been so kind to her and had even entrusted her with their secret.  If she let herself, she would begin to wonder why Akito allowed it, but her mind always skirted the question.

            She became gradually aware that there was something standing in front of her, someone she had never seen before.

            He was not much taller than she was, short, she thought, for his age, which seemed to be close to hers.  He was clearly foreign, though from what country she could scarcely hazard a guess.  His eyes were round and bright, and both his eyes and hair were dark brown, his hair cut short and casually styled.  His skin was a dusky tan, not dark and not white, and something about him made her think he spent a lot of time outside.  He wore loose, dark denim jeans and a short-sleeve black shirt with a collar, two buttons undone at the neck, both of which were clean and new.  As soon as she noticed him he took a step toward her, and moved with an agility that hinted at muscles developed in a figure that was otherwise small and thin and unremarkable.  

            "Oh, um…hi," she said uncertainly, and looked hurriedly from right to left to see if there was anyone else he might be walking toward.

            His eyes brightened and he grinned at her, a smile so energetic and disarming that she blinked and blushed unconsciously.  He was not as attractive as Yuki, nor even as immediately charismatic as Kyo, but something about that smile made her feel instantly easy, almost as if this person had been an acquaintance of hers for years. 

            He stopped in front of her, still smiling with closed lips and brightened eyes, taking her in with one sweeping, flattering look.  Then, catching her eyes, he moved his hands deceptively and suddenly produced a long-stemmed blue iris from apparently nowhere.  Proffering it with one hand, he stepped back with one leg and bowed elegantly, as if she were a princess of whom he was an unworthy suitor.  

            "A pretty flower for a pretty lady," he said, and despite his being clearly foreign, there was no hesitation in his speech.  She understood every word perfectly, down to the intonation. 

            She took the flower, not knowing what else to do.  "Um…thank you," she said.  "Should I…know you?"

            He smiled at her, and reaching out, boldly pushed a strand of her hair out of her face.  She froze like a deer in the headlights.  "Not yet," he said. "I saw you standing with someone else a moment ago.  He'll probably be back any moment, but while you were alone I wanted to say hello and introduce myself.  What's your name?"

            "Oh!"  She bowed quickly, mind jumping through hoops and slamming into brick walls trying to process the intentions of this bewildering stranger.  "I'm sorry.  I'm Tohru Honda.  It's nice to meet you.  Uh…"  She fumbled for a way of asking what it was he wanted or how it was he knew her, but she felt for some reason that she was as much a stranger to him as he to her.  Nothing like it had ever happened to her before.  She wasn't sure what to make of it.

             He was watching her bow as if looking at some curiosity, hands in his pockets and head tilted to one side.  When she straightened he smiled brightly and repeated the same bow he had made before, bending straight-backed over one leg with a graceful sweep, which was certainly not the way one person greet another in Japan.  When he popped back up, an impish grinned returned to a face that was in some ways child-like.  "I'm called Belduine," he said, "Belduine Terwhin if it interests you."  He looked sidelong toward the ice cream shop.   

            "Oh," she said.  "Uh…Where are you from, Terwhin-san?"

            Confusion passed over his features, but he merely shook his head as if at some mystery he did not expect to solve.  When she began to feel disconcerted, he smiled at her.  "A place," he replied suddenly, as if on impulse, "called Evermore."  He winked and quite suddenly he was passing her by with a casual wave, one hand in his pocket.  "Maybe I'll see you around sometime, Tohru." 

            Yuki came out of the store at almost the exact instant the strange kid disappeared around the corner.   "Who was that?" Yuki asked curiously, two ice cream cones in hand.  His eyes flickered to the flower she held with disapproval he couldn't quite disguise.  

            "I don't really know," Tohru responded.  "He just gave me this."  She twirled the stem of the flower between two fingers, not sure what to do with it and embarrassed now that Yuki was back to be holding it.  "He said his name was Belduine Terwhin." She stumbled over pronouncing such a foreign-sounded name.  "I've never seen him before."

            Yuki's eyes narrowed as he stared off the way the stranger had walked.  "I don't like him," he said. 

            She blinked at him.  Yuki was so polite he might just be offended by someone so boldly forward, especially if he felt protective of her.  Tohru wouldn't be surprised.  Giving a flower to a strange girl you knew nothing about was considered a little rude, but Torhu wasn't sure Belduine meant anything by it.  He didn't seem to know their customs, and more objectively, what was wrong with giving a girl a flower?  But then again, Yuki was also so smart that maybe something else about the scene bothered him.  Torhu was not adept enough to speculate and she didn't feel like it was appropriate to ask.

            "Come on," Yuki said with a soft, more reassuring tone as he handed her the ice cream he had bought for them both.   "I'm sure it's nothing to worry ourselves about."

*****

            "Something is wrong," Saki Hanajima murmured suddenly, turning her blank-eyed stare toward her friend and former gang-member.

            Arisa paused at the counter, one hand extended to receive the chocolate truffles she had just purchased, Hana having personally selected them individually from the display case.  

            "He didn't give you the right amount of change."

            Arisa blinked and counted the coins in her hand.  "Hey!" she said, glaring threateningly at the cashier and slapping one hand sharply on the countertop.  "What are you trying to pull on me?   

            "Oh!  I'm sorry!" the poor guy jumped behind the counter and stammered.  He counted the change in her hand then hurriedly supplemented the difference. "Please forgive me!  It was an accident."

            Arisa's temper cooled as she recounted the change.  "Better be," she said.  "Come on, Hana."

            Saki followed her out of the store, black-nailed hands folded demurely in front of her and severe braid pulled over one shoulder.  They both each ate a truffle, walking in silence along the sidewalk.

            "What happened to Tohru, Orange-top and the Prince?"  Arisa muttered.  "I swear they were right behind us."

            "The boys got into a fight," Saki explained.  "One ran off.  The other escorted Miss Honda toward the ice cream shop."

            "Wow," Arisa said, impressed in spite of herself.  "Does your electric signal tell you all of that?"

            "I heard the fighting as we were walking away," she said.  "And then I saw Prince Yuki and Tohru walking from a distance while you were buying the truffles.  Kyo was not with them.  I was going to call out to them but…" She paused.  "I don't yell."

            "Aw, that's okay," Arisa said.  "We'll catch them later.   At least they got some ice cream."

            "Yes," Saki said.  "It's quite hot out.  We wouldn't want them to overheat and collapse on the street on their way home."        

            Arisa regarded her askance.  "Well, I wouldn't think something like that would happen.  I'm just sorry I missed Prince Yuki eating ice cream.  I would have liked to see that.  Hey," She pointed toward a cross street a block away from the far side of the school.  "Isn't that that other Sohma kid?"

            "Hatsuharu," Saki supplied.  "He looks lost."

            Arisa walked to the street corner with Hana in tow and then waved a hand in the air.  "Hey!  Hatsuharu!" she shouted.  He looked up, catching sight of them from the side of the building he was leaning against, hands in his pockets.  Arisa took that as an invitation to join him and made her way across the street with Saki at her side.

            Hatsuharu's gaze drifted around them as they approached, distracted by a bird twittering on a telephone poll and then by a passing car in the street.  He took note of Arisa and Saki slowly, appraising them with ice blue eyes that were as mellow as milk.  "I seem to have taken a wrong turn," he said when they were close enough.  "I know how to get from my classroom to my home residence, but in an attempt to stop at a bookshop somewhere in this area I was swept off course.  I have since been wandering through a maze in a search to find a place or landmark that is familiar to me."

            "The school's just a block around the corner," Arisa said, gesturing vaguely in the direction from which Hatsuharu had apparently been walking.  Hatsuharu looked vaguely in the direction of her hand and then back at the two of them without changing expression.

            "Perhaps we should escort him there, Arisa," Saki suggested practically.

            "All right," Arisa said with a smirk and a shrug, turning and gesturing for Hatsuharu to follow with a raised fist.  "Back to school it is.  I probably ought to spend more time there anyway."

            "Perhaps in classes," Saki agreed.  "Since I don't really see you joining after-school clubs or sports."

            "Like you can talk," Arisa objected, and then turned to look at their tag-along.  "So, uh, Haru," Arisa said.  "What's new in your life?  How's that family of yours?  Anymore of your attractive cousins going to be joining our school?"

            Hatusharu looked off to the side.  "Um…"

            Saki interjected suddenly and ominously.  "Kyo."

            Hatsuharu and Arisa both looked at her.  "Uh, Kyo already goes to our school, Hana," Arisa informed her.

            "No," Saki said, and the barest tinge of urgency coated her voice, which for Saki might have been another person's panic.  "Kyo's electric signal."  She pointed in the direction they were heading.  "Something is terribly wrong." 

            Arisa caught the tension and swallowed the joke she had been about to make on a defenseless Kyo's behalf.

            The absent-minded laziness in Hatsuharu's expression vanished completely.  "Where?"

            "This way," Saki murmured, and strode quickly forward, her sudden movement scattering fallen leaves out of her path.  Arisa and Hatsuharu ran to catch up and Saki's quick strides sped into a light run so that they all kept pace. 

            "What's so urgent?" Arisa demanded, regulating her breathing.  "Hana?"

            "Something wrong," Hatsuharu said.  "I can almost feel it too."

            Saki didn't answer and they didn't stop and wait for the signal at the crosswalk.  The ice in Hatsuharu's eyes was focused ahead, glinting sharply as if he could part the distance between them and wherever they were going by force of will alone.  The three of them crossed the street between the passings of cars and climbed straight up a grassy slope to the school grounds without bothering to go around.  Arisa slipped once on the grass, swore her irritation and took Hastuharu's proffered hand to get back to her feet.  Bolting forward, they made their way to the top, picked up their feet and ran with fiercer concentration, following Saki's lead around the edge of the school's buildings, their street shoes squelching in the mud created by run-off from the roof, not caring at the splatters that assaulted their legs and ankles.

            "There," Saki said, stopping and pointing.  Hatsuharu passed ahead of them, slipping between the end of a chain link fence and a wall and maneuvering around a recycle bin and a dumpster.  He almost tripped on a coiled hose, which would have sent him sprawling face first into a boulder, but he stopped first, his feet halting abruptly as he stared at where Kyo lay on the ground, legs tucked in, back turned to them, blood seeping into the dirt and staining his hair and clothes.

            Arisa heard herself gasp and saw Saki's face drain of color.

            Hatsuharu didn't say anything, having a loss of words, but he knelt on one knee by Kyo's back, reaching out with both hands to touch him, turning him over gingerly.

            Haru's hands came away stained with blood and the sight shook a frantic shout out of the white-and-black haired Sohma's throat.  "Kyo!"  Kyo rolled over without protest, his eyes glazed and his muscles constricted.  His body shook in little spasms and he gasped when his position was shifted, evidence that he was alive and conscious at least.  He had both arms wrapped around his body, one hand pressed tightly against his side.  That whole side of him was soaked in blood, all of it fresh and still bleeding, spilling out of a nasty wound that looked to Arisa like a stabbing.

            Haru put his hands to Kyo's face, not daring to move his hand to look at a wound he would not know how to treat.  "Kyo," he whispered.  "Can you hear me?  Can you speak? What happened?"

            "Never mind that!" Arisa snapped.  "You have to get him to a hospital.  Hana…!"

            "No!" Hatsuharu shouted.  "Don't call an ambulance."  His voice returned to a soothing whisper, smoothing dampened orange hair from Kyo's forehead.  "We can't take him to a hospital.  We have to get him to the Honke.  No, Shigure's house.  It's closer."  He tossed Saki a cell phone.  "Speed-dial Hatori.  If he doesn't answer, try Shigure."

            Saki opened the phone, scrolled through the address book, pressed a button and held the phone calmly to her ear.

            Arisa stared from Saki to Hatsuharu with widened eyes which quickly narrowed with anger.  "You're going to kill him!" she shouted, clenching her fists.

            "Hello?  This is Saki Hanajima, Tohru Honda's friend.  I'm standing by the maintenance building by Kaiwaia High School.  Kyo Sohma's been stabbed."  Pause.  "Yes, I can hold."

            Hatsuharu ignored Arisa's outburst.  He pulled Kyo's head sideways on his lap and added the pressure of his own hand to Kyo's side.  Arisa clicked her teeth shut.  If he wasn't going to listen to reason, she could at least help stop the blood.  She wasn't going to stand around gaping uselessly and she wasn't afraid of getting blood on her hands or clothes in order to save the life of someone she enjoyed teasing too much.  She took a step forward, but Hatsuharu turned to look at her, stopping her with an expression that had been intent on Kyo but mellow with her.

            "You should go," he said as if everything was perfectly under control.  Blood was soaking through Haru's hand.  "You and Hanajima can take my phone and…"

            "Like hell we're leaving!" Arisa said angrily.  "He's Torhu's friend and he might as well be mine too!  If there's some reason you stupidly want to keep this in your family, fine!  But there's no way in hell I'm going to let him die just because…"

            She trailed off and Hatsuharu's attention was pulled away from her as Kyo gritted his teeth and threw his head back, crying out in pain. "Haru…my…"

            "Hang on!" Hatusharu said urgently but reassuringly. "You're going to be fine.  Easy, Kyo.  Try to hold on.  Just keep breathing.  Stay calm.  You can't…"  His voice heightened suddenly.  "No!  Kyo!"

            But it was too late.  

            Arisa stepped back in surprise and turned her face away as something like a small explosion reverberated through the clearing.  Sound was momentarily swallowed, time standing still, and when she looked back Kyo's body had vanished, though his clothes lay rumpled and blood-soaked across the ground.  In Haru's lap was an orange cat, blood sticking to its fur and bleeding from its side.  Haru held it close, cradling it on his knees, his expression pensive.

            Saki lowered the phone from her ear.  "Oh," she said.  "A cat.  So that's what it was."

            Arisa stared.  "Is that Kyo?"

            Hatsuharu didn't answer.

            "Hana?" Arisa demanded

            "That boy Momiji said that your cousin Hatori is on his way," Saki said.  "Apparently he left before we called."  She looked at the cat in Haru's lap, the way he was still trying with lesser success to stop the blood.  "An enchantment," she said.  "Or some kind of curse?"

            Arisa's bewilderment transferred itself to Hana.

            "Yeah," Haru mumbled.

            Saki's expression never changed.  "I see."

*****

            Yuki was walking down the stairs in his socks from his room to where Torhu was preparing something for dinner when he paused to take in the atmosphere.  Whatever it was she was cooking, it smelled good, and he was glad that with that Cat gone, he not only had Tohru to himself for a little while, but the house was blissfully quiet.  Shigure was at the Honke, Kyo was out, and the calm in the air was helping Yuki unwind from the stress of the day.

            He sighed, thinking back to the disaster upon disaster that had plagued him since he woke up this morning.  The presentation of today's assembly had been stressing him out since Monday, and now that the week was over, he was happy to have a breather, even if it hadn't gone as well as he hoped.  He knew that the other members of the Student Council didn't aggravate him on purpose, and he was also becoming aware that they had problems of their own that they were trying to deal with as they did everything else, same as him, but he did wish they could reign in the more extravagant fringes of their personalities, be a little more focused and manage to work together for the good of the group. 

            That little spat with the Cat had simply been an added annoyance to a long day of accumulating annoyances. He felt badly for upsetting Tohru, but the way that Cat behaved sometimes tipped him over the edge, especially when he held in his temper in order to remain polite to everyone else.  Imagine, saying those things to Tohru, even though he had already learned his lesson countless times.  At least Yuki tried to learn from his mistakes, to repeat them as little as he could, or to at least apologize when he erred, but it seemed a lot of people—especially the Cat—were not as aware of how easy it was to hurt other people simply by being too forceful, that it was all too easy to silence someone or hurry them or exclude them.  Perhaps it was because Yuki himself was so often hurt, silenced, hurried and excluded in his lifetime that he was so sensitive to it, but then, the cat was excluded too, if only from his immediate family and in a different way.  At any rate, he ought to know enough to realize that yelling at Tohru was pointless and stupid. 

            Yuki paused on the stairs, breathing in the scent of Tohru's cooking and imagining her at the stove with her hair plaited into braids and an apron around her waist, wondering if she had used any of the vegetables he had brought in from the garden, the fresh tomatoes perhaps.   He leaned his head against the wall, taking a deep breath and allowing his irritation to recede.  Something about Tohru soothed him, made him want to try to be a better person, a less arrogant, more forgiving person.  If only it was so easy to change, to become whoever it was you wanted to be simply by deciding that that was what you wanted.  But maybe, with the right people in your life, it was not impossible.  

            Yuki had made up his mind to go into the kitchen—a place he usually avoided—to talk to Tohru while he had this chance alone with her, when a hollow bang of the front door slamming open interrupted his thoughts.

            "Yuki?" Tohru called.  "What was that?  Is Kyo home yet?"

            Yuki figured that must be it, but when he rounded the corner toward the front door, what he saw was not what he expected.

            Hatori came in first, holding an orange cat soaked in blood to his chest, its ears wilted and its movements still.  Haru was right beside him, pressing a hand against the cat, walking awkwardly on Hatori's left side in order to keep his hand there.  Yuki recognized Kyo immediately and felt his stomach turn over sickeningly.  Before he had time to open his mouth, Torhu's two friends, Arisa Uotani and Saki Hanajima, followed Hatsuharu inside.  Yuki did a double take, connecting Arisa and Saki to Kyo's transformed state in a terrifying flash of realization, but the thought that Kyo might have stupidly run into either of them hardly registered with the sight of all that blood.   More importantly…

            "What happened?" Yuki whispered.  "Haru?"

            Shigure followed Miss Uotani and Hanajima into the house and cast Yuki a significant, serious look that made Yuki's blood run cold.  "You can put him in my study," he said.  "Let's not risk taking him upstairs.  He won't hold that shape much longer."

            "Out of the way please," Hatori said and Yuki backed up, taking several steps backward up the stairs as the procession passed him by.  "Haru, I need you to hold him while we put him down.  Shigure, bandages. All of mine have soaked through.  I didn't know what I expected to find, but it wasn't this."

            A sweet voice stopped all of their voices.  "What's going on?"

            Yuki's head snapped up as Tohru came out of the kitchen, drying her hands with a dish towel, a smile on her face.  

            "Oh, I see we have company," she said.  "Hello, Haru, Hatori.  I'm afraid I didn't make enough for this many people.  Oh, Uo, Hana, why are you…?"  She froze, getting a glimpse of what was lying so limp in Hatori's arms.  Her voice carried a bare fraction of the enthusiasm he was used to hearing from her, the tiniest, plaintive cry escaping her lips with a terrified tremble.  "Kyo?"

            Yuki tried to distract her, hoping to step in front of her, to block her eyes, but she mindlessly cut in front of Shigure, her eyes wide and round and full of fear as she followed the group into Shigure's study.  Yuki found himself outside, paralyzed.

            "Set him down," Hatori's voice came.  "Easy."  Yuki listened from outside the doors.  His reaction time seemed to have slowed down, the moments crawling by like water dripping from a window pane.  He glanced through the door to see Tohru kneeling down, fright halting the tears in her eyes as her hand stroked the blood-matted fur of Kyo's limp cat form.  "I can't treat him like this," Hatori was explaining.  "Tohru, I know you are concerned, but you had better stay out of the way.  All you girls actually.  There's no need to panic.  Whoever it was who stabbed him missed all of his internal organs."

            _It wasn't me, was Yuki's only conscious thought.  __I didn't do this to Kyo.   The hushed quiet in the house that he had prized only minutes ago seemed suddenly oppressive._

            Yuki still couldn't move.  Tohru still looked numb as Saki took her by the shoulders and helped her stand, letting Haru and Shigure circle in to help Hatori.   Yuki remembered the last thing he had said to Kyo, and looking at the Cat, he felt his heart clench with sudden fear.  It was so easy to hurt people, so easy to shrug off the responsibility of hurting someone else and justifying it by way of your own pain.  Would it have killed him to treat Kyo with the same politeness he tried so hard to display to everyone else?  Tohru's shaking form wrung his heart.   He couldn't get himself to speak to her as Miss Hanajima and Uotani led her to the dining room, one of them on either side of her as she wilted down to the floor, covering her face with both hands.

            There was a sound like an explosion from the other room and Yuki looked over his shoulder to see that Kyo had returned to his human form.  His breath caught in his throat as he saw the wound, a hole in the side from which blood was still flowing as Hatsuharu tossed aside another bloody towel and grabbed a clean one.  Shigure was unwinding bandages as Hatori prepared a needle with what was probably a fast-acting anesthetic.  Kyo himself appeared to have passed out from the pain.  

            "Hatori," Hatsuharu said suddenly as Hatori turned Kyo's arm over to insert the needle into his bloodstream.  "Kyo's bracelet is missing."  Yuki's eyes widened in shock, and he swallowed, feeling light-headed.

            It was Shigure's who spoke first.  "Well, this keeps getting better and better, doesn't it?"

            "Are you sure it wasn't with his clothes?" Hatori asked, concentrating on the task at hand.

            "We got everything," Hatsuharu said.  "It's all in the car.  I didn't see it."

            "Why hasn't he transformed, I wonder?" Shigure asked curiously.

            "The shock of pain perhaps," Hatori said.  "Or maybe he's too weak.  I'm not really sure.  Let's not worry about that for right now.  I want to get him stabilized before Akito shows up.  We'll need to stop the blood and stitch him up and then let him rest.  I don't know how long he'll be and there's no telling what he'll do when he gets here."

            Akito.  

            Yuki looked back toward Tohru, Tohru and her two friends.   It seemed that Hatori was confident in what he was doing, but that didn't stop his insides from shaking, nor did it quell the worry in his heart. 

            "I think they just said that Kyo is going to be all right," Saki was telling Tohru soothingly, sitting beside her a comforting smile on her face. 

            "Tohru," Arisa was saying.  "I think you have a lot of explaining to do."

            "I'm sorry," Tohru protested.  "I promised I wouldn't tell!"

            "It's kinda late for that," Arisa pointed out.

            But Tohru would only shake her head violently, the palms of her hands pressed to her face, refusing to utter a sound. 

            Feeling worse than useless, Yuki wandered back to Shigure's study and was met by the writer himself in the doorway.

            "Ah, Yuki, there you are," Shigure said, his good humor apparently restored.  "It's time to see if you really can't boil water.  We need some in here and I don't think Tohru's up to it just yet."

            "Sure," Yuki said.  "I want to help."

            Shigure smiled at him and waved a hand.  "Don't look so gloomy, Yuki!  Ha-san says Kyo's going to be all right!"

            The response was automatic, down to the clenched fists and narrowed eyes.  "I wasn't worried about him!"

            Shigure just held up one finger and said pedantically, "boiled water:  just put some from the tap in the pot and set it on the stove."

            Gritting his teeth, Yuki turned and marched away.

            Yuki had always found the kitchen to be a bewildering place. Before Tohru has come to live with them, Yuki had always invented dinner when it was his turn to cook.  Usually he used the oven and followed directions of easy-bake dishes that he still managed to burn, but it had been so long since he had set foot in the kitchen now that Tohru was here that he had forgotten what little he used to know. It took him five minutes of opening doors and cupboards to find a pot of decent size, and he found carrying such a thing awkward and ridiculous in his hands as he set it on the burner.  Which way was the handle supposed to face? He tried a couple different positions and settled for off to the left side before turning on the water from the sink.  Was he supposed to put the pot right under the faucet or would that be too heavy after it filled up? Maybe there was a device used from transporting water from the sink to a pot.  He finally decided on filling the pot up halfway with water from the sink and then using a measuring cup to fill up the rest of it.   He studied the stove top for a minute to get a feeling for which dial operated which burner and then turned the correct one to Hi.

            He found himself watching it anxiously, desiring to be useful for something other than an icon to stare at, when he noticed that Tohru was by his side.

            "A watched pot never boils, you know," she said sweetly.

            "Miss Honda," he said, turning to look at her.  He was happy to see her smiling, but even so, something made him think that she was not quite herself.  It surprised him that he noticed.  She always tried so hard to look on the bright side of things, even when she was hiding sadness, but this time he could see the small crease of worry marring her forehead, and the enthusiasm in her voice sounded forced.  It was evidence of how truly upset she must be that she would show it.  And no wonder really.

            "Shigure says that Kyo is resting now," Tohru told him as she continued finishing the dinner she had been working on before.  He watched her wash the vegetables he had brought in from the garden, noticing how delicately her hands handled the fragile tomatoes.  "Hatsuharu brought his clothes in from the car.  I don't think all of the blood can be washed out.  His shirt is ruined too so it's probably best to order some new school clothes.  Hatori will probably make him stay home for awhile anyway.  He's all sewed up but he probably shouldn't strain himself for, well…lots of reasons."

            Yuki stared at her, feeling certain now that her smile was hiding a deeper worry and unsure how to address it.  He wished he was able to talk with her openly, to share his feelings plainly and ask her to share hers.  He felt he understood her even when they talked in circles, but lately he had been pulling away from her, trying to come to terms with the idea that one day he would have to lose her, that it was dangerous to get too close.  And yet he still found himself wishing they could be closer.  It was that kind of honest openness that was one of the things he envied about Kyo, and one of the things that also made him angry.  He found himself wanting to hold her, to give her a reassuring hug that everything was going to be all right, but of course he couldn't do that.  He wasn't even sure it was true.

            "Can I help you?" he said instead.

            "Thank you, but it's all right," she replied.  "I can do it.  I need something to do."

            He struggled to speak.  "Is something bothering you, Miss Honda?"  His tone made him bite his tongue.  He sounded cheeky and self-assured and it wasn't at all how he was feeling, but perhaps to make himself feel stronger he had supplemented a false sense of casualty.  "I mean, is there anything the matter?"  Not much better.  He wasn't any good at this.

            Tohru set the first tomato aside and paused before grabbing the second. If she thought he was being callous and aloof she didn't show it.  Her eyes were downcast, her hands hanging limply over the edge of the sink.  "Hatori said that Kyo's bracelet is gone," she said quietly.  "And I'm…I'm worried, because of that, and because of what happened.  Who would do that to Kyo?  They said it was a stabbing, a knife wound, and a rather large knife at that, one made for that sort of thing."  She stopped speaking, biting her lips.  "Why would anyone do that?"

            "I don't know," Yuki said truthfully.  "But we'll find out."

            She continued washing the next tomato.  "And the bracelet," she said.  "Kyo doesn't have it anymore and we don't know who does, or why, or what will happen when Kyo wakes up.  And…" Tears were threatening her eyes.  "Uo and Hana know about the curse.  I haven't told them anything and no one has explained what it is or how it works, but they're still here, waiting for an explanation.  They're being so patient, but they know and I don't think they're just going to forget about it."

            "Hatori is here," Yuki said quickly.

            "But Akito is coming," Tohru continued, and though her voice held no trace of negativity, or worry or fear, he could sense that it was there.  She stopped moving all together, setting the second tomato beside the first and drying her hands with a dishtowel. "And I don't know what's going to happen, to any of us.  Yuki, something strange is happening.  I feel like we've all been exposed somehow.  I've never said anything to anyone, I swear, but I feel like someone else out there knows, someone not in this house and not part of your family.  And Yuki… I'm afraid."

            The water had started to boil.

            Yuki stared at Tohru, wishing he could say anything, do anything, to reassure and comfort her.  But he found that he was too weak, that he would almost rather look to her for comfort.   He didn't know what to say, or what to do, because he was afraid too.

            A knock sounded at the door.

            "That's probably Akito," Tohru said, and set the dishtowel down.

To Be Continued

Was that too abrupt?  Pacing this is difficult, but well, the plot thickens!  Next up, Akito arrives at Shigure's, some decisions are made and the hunt for Kyo's assailant begins…among other things.   I'll be updating this story consistently, so please return to keep reading if you like it!  Don't worry; I'm really into writing this one.  Updates should come quickly, and you can always put me on Author Alerts if you want to be notified by email when I update (a lot of people surprisingly aren't aware of that feature). 

But for now, please review this chapter!  A lot of things have happened (I think, anyway, compared to the snail-pace of some of my other stories) and I'd like to hear the thoughts and reactions of my readers.  Any guesses to the plot will make me smile and comments of any kind are always, always appreciated.  From the bottom of my heart, I thank each and every reader.  ^_^  

And now, some comments to readers' previous comments (not individually.  I love you all, but it would just take too long)

-I'm terribly happy if my writing has made you think or pleases your ear.  I really like to put some substance to my stories, so your comments in that regard are indescribably helpful.

-Hopefully this story will stay suspenseful, at least enough to keep you wanting to read.  That's always very important for a story, so if you're bored, let me know!  These are, of course, still the first chapters and I'm still working on writing the characters and setting things up, but I hope to keep you interested.  Hooked readers are happy readers.

-I have a _lot_ planned for future chapters! And I'm trying to keep it IC too. (I can only try!)  

-I'm hoping "kyra rivers" is the name of a real person and she keeps reading because Kyra is an awesome name (no, it's not my name; it's a name of an original character I invented who will likely not appear in this story).  I hope the oddities keep intriguing you, Kyra, b/c I'm just getting started!

-I like Hatsuharu.  Good present, but you can set the Cow free now. ^_~

You made me so happy with all your encouragement!!  I really appreciate it!  Keep it comin'!


	3. Transformation

Disclaimer:  I'm passing my dibs to Sakura Avalon or Kinomoto because she threatened me with forks and I'm afraid of sharp objects.  O_o  So no, ^_^ I don't own Fruits Basket.

Yay!  I'm going to quickly thank my reviewers and then get on with the story.  If I forget to mention it, thank you all for coming back to check out this story, or if it's your first viewing, for reading this far! 

Sakura Avalon/Kinomoto:  happy now?  ^_^  I'm guessing you like Card Captor Sakura.  So do I!  And I will check out your story ^_^.

R Junkie:  *wince*  I'm sorry about that!  I miss things sometimes.   I'll try to correct it without really changing it if I can.  If I go OOC in the future, I apologize in advance, but I don't mind being told.  The plot-line of this story is going to get a bit beyond canon so it might happen…

Incoherence babbling:  Yes I did stab Kyo.  But I like Kyo too and he won't be unlucky for the entire story, promise.  You asked your friend to read?  *blushes*  Thank you so much!

Merryday: thank you!  That is a wonderfully kind thing to say.  I'm really happy you think so!

The Great Thing:  I adore your reviews!  They are some of the best I've ever gotten and I'm beyond flattered.  Is Kureno going to meet up with Arisa? Heck, yeah!!  There will be all kinds of romance.  Please just keep reading and reviewing!

Melinda the Digimon Pet:  I hope it's not going to fast, but I am trying to keep it moving along!  Thank you very much.  Ikebana is translated as "Japanese Flower Arrangement."  Sorry I didn't note that.

Grrl N: Yes, I know it's been done, but I can't write this story with Arisa and Uo in the dark.  There will be more to the story than that though, trust me!

Rivulet: I adore your reviews too! They are so wonderful!  Thank you!  There is more of Belduine to come and I don't want to spoil it by telling you anything about him, but I hope you're intrigued!  Please keep R/Ring.

Mizaya:  Aw, you're the first to review the new installment, my little duckling!   (remember, you started the name-calling!)  Have I talked to you since I last posted? I can't remember.  Anyway, I hope you like this chapter too!  You think Belduine is RJish?  It's possible he could fit in...  Well, I'm hoping you like my take on Akito and I also hope you're enjoying CB.  Oh, and dang it, update _your story!  Divine Interventions… I want to know what happens!_

All right.  I hope no one was too annoyed by such a lengthy introduction.  I've never replied to reviewers before because I don't want to be annoying, but it is kind of nice to be thanked and it means so much to me when you review, so that's why I do it.  ^_^  Anyway, on with the story!  Again, I don't know why the centering doesn't work anymore…

Evermore

Chapter 3

By Zapenstap

            When Shigure entered the kitchen, Tohru and Yuki were staring at a pair of tomatoes sitting on the counter.  Shigure looked back and forth between them, noting the boiling water, the rumpled dishtowel and the half-made, forgotten dinner.

            "Yuki," Shigure said mildly.

            Yuki jumped a little, averting his eyes from Tohru and half turning to look over his shoulder.  Shigure was leaning through the doorway with both hands on the frame, peering at them with blinking brown eyes and a smooth expression.  Yuki closed his mouth and composed his face, knowing what was coming.  "I hope I wasn't interrupting anything.  Akito is here.   It would be impolite not to say hello."  The writer turned his attention to Tohru.  "Tohru, if you'd like to bring that water to Hatori, we're trying to clean Kyo up a bit."  He smiled.  "Not to mention the floor."

            "Is he awake?" Tohru asked in a hushed, quiet voice, mechanically turning off the stove and lifting a pair of pot holders to bring the water as she was asked.

            "What is Akito doing?" Yuki demanded.

            Shigure addressed Yuki's question first, still calm.  "Nothing yet.  He just walked in.  Momiji came with him.  And no, Tohru, I'm afraid Kyo is not awake yet, but he is stitched back together and though he looks a little pale, his pulse and breathing are normal."

            "What about Uo and Hana?" Tohru asked in a contrite tone that had quickened and trembled in response to her nervousness.  She raised her eyes to look up at Shigure, hands clenched under her chin, braids hanging down her back.  Her voice was so small.  "What should I do?  What do you think Akito will do?"  It almost sounded as if she thought any of this was her fault.

            "Yes," Yuki added, looking away because that expression on Tohru's face troubled him so greatly.  "What _are we going to do?"  He tried to imagine what Tohru might be thinking, what she must be preparing herself for.  If just Saki and Arisa's memories were erased, they would forget about ever having known Tohru, if she remained connected with the curse.  For a family member, that would have been the fateful decision.  Yuki remembered the friends he had made when he was little, some of the first and only friends he had ever made, and how he had had to let them go because he had been erased entirely from their memories.  That would be Tohru's fate if Akito decided, for whatever reason, to keep her in the Sohma family sphere._

            "I don't think you should have to worry about it, Tohru,' Shigure reassured her.  "We'll just have to wait and see what Akito decides." 

            Shigure spoke calmly, but even though he seemed collected, Yuki detected a touch of worry and uncertainty in the Dog's eyes.  Suppose Akito chose to have Tohru's memory erased along with her friends', sending her back to her old family as if she had never known any of the Sohmas?  Yuki knew it was more likely and perhaps it would be better, for her at least, but if that happened…if after all this time that happened, Yuki thought his heart might break. 

            But perhaps that had been what Akito had been planning all along.

            The realization made him feel decidedly sick with knowing, and he stumbled past Shigure and out of the kitchen in a daze of understanding.  He had to distance himself from Tohru, make her look as if she were not even remotely as important to him as she truly was.  If Akito suspected the way he really felt…what would he do, to hurt them the most?  Let his attachment to her build until loosing her would break him, until he _wanted_ to accept the hopeless, enclosed, caged life Akito offered as an alternative to his own choices?  He had to distance himself from her for two reasons: to protect her and to protect himself, because ultimately…ultimately Akito's will could not be defied.

            But a part of him raged.  _Why?_

And he knew he would not be able to get his heart to listen to reason.  He could not forget her, or obliterate the feelings he had for her… 

            "Ah, Yuki, there you are."  A simple statement, by a voice so mild it was like a caress.

            Yuki looked up, trying desperately not to betray any emotions, to bury what was truly him so deep that no one could ever find it….

            Akito stood just inside, a striped blanket wrapped around his thin shoulders, one hand clutching it closed around his chest.  He wore a small smile on his face the way one might hang a painting on a wall, and his eyes gleamed as he assessed Yuki from his position in the center of the room.  Akito seemed to draw all attention, not because he was physically impressive, but because he weighed so devastatingly on everyone's mind.  Momiji stood silently by the door with his hands behind his back, eyes downcast, blonde hair poking out of a very silly pink hat with a white bunny embroidered on the upturned, circular bill.  Haru sat cross legged by the door leading into Shigure's study, within calling distance if the Doctor asked again for his assistance, but not close enough to be in the way, and though he was watching Akito with a straight face, it was a concentrated one.  Miss Uotani and Hanajima sat on the floor by the far wall where they had been comforting Tohru.  Arisa was looking at Akito with more curiosity than anything else, and Saki's expression was impossible to read, a carefully controlled front that leaked not the slightest betrayal of emotion.  And yet, Yuki could feel the emotions from everyone, the undercurrents that Akito's mere presence stimulated, circulating just beneath the surface, the subtle fear and anxiety that made them all shift their balance and summon up the reserves of their strength simply to hold their own. 

            The way Akito had addressed him made Yuki's skin prickle, that cool, oily voice that was seemingly devotedly caring and deeply possessive, deception twisting every syllable.  

            "You look to be doing well," Akito murmured, and just when Yuki felt like those words were going to crush him, like those eyes were going to consume him, Akito turned his face away as if Yuki didn't matter at all, as if there wasn't a thing about him that contained any value or interest.  Akito's eyes dimmed until they looked bored as his gaze passed over Hatsuharu with something that barely reached recognition, like he was a chair or a piece of litter, and wound their way around the room and settled on Arisa and Saki with a smile that would have looked more appropriate on a viper if you knew him at all.  "And who do we have here?  I don't think we've met.  I'm Akito Sohma, a cousin of the people you see here."

            Yuki felt his throat close up as tension in the room threatened to choke him.

            "Yeah," Arisa said in a brusque manner that almost made Yuki swallow his tongue. "There seem to be a lot of cousins in this family.  But I don't think Tohru's ever mentioned you.  I'm Arisa Uotani."

            "Saki Hanajima."

            Akito's smile never wavered, but his eyes took on an almost metallic sheen as he weighed the two girls sitting on the floor by the wall, his thoughts locked up where Yuki could not decipher them.  "Friends of Tohru's?" he murmured.  "Tohru Honda?  That ugly, uninteresting girl… What sort of friends might she have, I wonder?"  His lips twisted.  "What strange, twisted sort of people would be friends with someone like that?"

            A flash of temper erupted behind Arisa's eyes, a quick burst of indignation that burned with impulsive fury. "Hey.  Don't talk about her like that! Who the hell do you think you…?"

            Saki laid a gentle hand on Arisa's arm, never shifting, never blinking, her head turned toward Akito, her eyes focused only on him.  She said nothing and made no other movements, but Arisa stopped talking.  The silence in the room thickened until Yuki thought he might suffocate, but he too found himself absorbed by Saki's dark, penetrating eyes, and could scarcely remember to even try and breathe. 

            Akito smiled at Saki, a sickly, dead-eyed smile, but gradually his smile faded, replaced by a grimace of sudden anger.  Yuki started, mouth parting as he took half a preventive step forward.  Momiji raised his head.  Haru looked up too, all of them breathless with anticipation, but before anybody could move Tohru came out of the kitchen with the pot of water in her hands. She stopped moving when she took note of the scene.

            Saki abruptly turned her head, her eyes dropping from their lock with Akito's as she turned to look at her friend.  The tension was cut like a sword snapping a string.  "Tohru," she said.  "We wondered where you went. We were just making introductions."

            For some reason the fright that made Tohru jump made Yuki relax.  "Oh!  I'm so sorry!" She looked frantically around for a place to put the pot of water she was holding, and eventually just held onto it, practically shouting over the top.   "Sohma Akito is the head of the Sohma family and uh… Akito-san, these are my friends, Arisa Uotani and um, Saki Hanajima."

            "You weren't listening," Arisa said blandly. "Hana said we met while you were in the kitchen."

            "Oh. Um." Tohru looked flustered.

            The tension in Akito's face and shoulders had relaxed visibly, though he was still eyeing a placid-faced Saki through narrowed eyes, as if trying to ferret out her secrets by sight alone.  If she was aware of his scrutiny, she pretended not to be.  Gradually, Akito's stare turned to Tohru, who now had everyone's attention simply by standing there with a pot of water in her hands, and the sharp look in Akito's otherwise deadened eyes flared to something like jealousy, an emotion in Akito Yuki could scarcely process him being able to have.  He didn't understand it. 

            "I'm supposed to be bringing this to Hatori," Tohru said quietly, and excused herself from everybody's attention. "Akito-san, I… It's a pleasure seeing you again."

            Akito grimaced, his eyes dark anger, and ignored her.  "Shigure!" he snapped, and the Dog emerged from the kitchen, assessing the situation without expression.

            "Oh, Akito.  I see you've met everyone.  What can I do for you?"

            Akito's eyes swung away from Tohru's friends as he brushed hair away from his face.  "I'm tired.  I want to lie down."

            "I'm sure the journey was taxing.  Did you want to see Kyo first?"

            The annoyance in Akito's face was obvious, but Yuki carefully looked the other way, as did everyone else.  "No," he snapped. "Why would I?"

            "Well, he's…"

            "It makes no difference to me," Akito said negligently.  Then he smiled a thin, silky smile, his eyes holding Shigure at the corners, catching him as he passed him by.  "Even if he died, it makes no difference.  Perhaps you thought that it would, since I came all this way, since I came here to check up on you?  Since I came here to make sure _you were doing as I would want, that _you_ were not overstepping your bounds?  If he were someone else perhaps I would care enough to come and see him… but why would I care about that thing?  That creature?  If I see him later it will be more than he deserves.  Because it is _convenient_ I might see him, but I did not come here to look at him.  It makes me sick to look at that monster.  It is evidence of how much I care that I would bother with him at all."_

            "His bracelet has been stolen," Shigure said quietly.  "Do you care about that?"

            Akito's eyes narrowed dangerously, focusing on Shigure piercingly.  "Why must you always pester me?  Why don't you just do what I want?  I said I was tired.  I want to lie down. Why are you so slow to serve me?  Why must you always question me?"

            "Forgive me," Shigure said contritely, turning his hands over in a gesture of innocence.  "I only wish to keep you informed.  There is a room prepared for you upstairs."

            Akito's leaving the room was like the receding of a shadow.  He stopped only once to look into the room where Kyo laid unconscious, Tohru kneeling by his side with a wet washcloth in her hand, dabbing tenderly at his forehead.  Akito's expression was sour, his eyes dark and unreadable.  He waited until Hatori looked up, but when the doctor stood, Akito turned away with a snarl, climbing the stairs and leaving them all standing attentively in his wake, except for Shigure, who followed him doggedly and reticent.  When the two of them disappeared from view it was like wind rushing into the room, and suddenly Yuki was able to breathe again.  His head swam and he sank to the floor dizzily.

            "So now what?" Hatsuharu asked, still sitting cross-legged by the wall.

            "What happened at the Main House, Momiji?" Yuki asked, relaxing against the wall himself and leaning his head back.

            Momiji raised his head.  He had been standing so silent and unobtrusive that it had been difficult to see him until now, but gradually the energy was returning to his eyes.  "Akito knew, Yuki.  When Kyo was hurt, it was like he knew it.  He told Hatori to get the car and then Hana called.  And when Hatori called from the school and told him that they were coming here, he wanted to come.  He told me to come with him."

            "I don't understand," Yuki whispered.  "I don't understand what motivates him to do the things he does and says."

            "Well I don't understand any of this," Arisa snapped, and then added, "though I'll admit that my interest is piqued."

            Yuki had forgotten they were there.  He looked to Haru for direction, but only got a shake of the head for a response.  Were they expecting him to make the decisions while Shigure was with Akito and Hatori was tending Kyo?  Yuki sighed and stood up.  "Well, we might as well eat the dinner Tohru prepared for us," he said at last.  They would have to wait to hear Akito's decision it seemed, and would just have to avoid questions until then.

            "Good," Arisa said, also standing.  "Because whatever the hell just happened has made me really hungry."  She stretched, reaching her hands over her head, and then looked down at Saki.  "You comin'?"

            Saki stood gracefully to her feet.

            Marching across the room, Arisa knocked on the wall above Haru's head and leaned sideways into Shigure's study. Tohru was still kneeling beside Kyo, oblivious to everyone and everything.  Kyo lay on his back, his head turned to one side so that his hair fell half over his face, eyes closed and skin pale.  A blanket had been pulled up to his waist, partially covering the bandages that had been wrapped repeatedly around his middle, but under those bandages was a knife wound stitched up with medical thread.  Yuki watched as Tohru brushed hair from Kyo's eyes, watching anxiously in case he opened them. 

            "Hey, Tohru," Arisa said.  "Why don't you let him rest and come eat dinner with us?  You heard the Doc.  Orange-top's going to be fine."

            Lifting her head, Tohru got to her feet slowly.  Hatori nodded reassuringly at her and continued packing his medical supplies back into their case.  Looking around, Tohru's eyes spotted the bloody towels lying on the floor and began picking them up until Hatori waved her away.  "Don't worry about that," he said.  "Shigure and I will take care of it.  Go and eat dinner.  That's the best thing you can do for him right now."

            Tohru turned her head and Yuki caught her eyes as they latched onto him.  He straightened in surprise when she came forward and took his hand in both of hers, as if looking for some anchor to latch on to, her fingers curling around the inside of his palm.  "Miss Honda," he said quietly.  "Everything's going to be all right."

            She nodded and smiled, looking up at all of them.  "Momiji," she said suddenly, sounding startled.  "I'm sorry.  Now that I think of it, I think Shigure said something, but I didn't even notice you were here."

            "Yep!" the Rabbit exclaimed.  "I came to help out, Tohru!" His smile broadened as he bounded off the wall and took one of Tohru's hands, disengaging her from Yuki and pulling her toward the kitchen.  "There's lots of people so we'll need to make lots of food to feed everyone," he said.  "And you know what, Tohru?  I'm going to help you.  I'm going to be your junior assistant chef! You just tell me what to do and I'll do it!  Okay?"

            Tohru blinked, coming to herself as if stepping out of a dream as Momiji pulled her along.  "Oh, um, okay.  Thank you, Momiji."

            Yuki stayed out of the kitchen with Haru and Tohru's two friends, engaging them in polite conversation while they waited.  They sat down to eat twenty minutes later.  Momiji had made enough rice to stuff twenty people, and by the time Tohru had finished serving the rest of what she had made, they were significantly distracted from the proceeding events to enjoy themselves and the conversation.  After a little while, Hatori joined them at the table, welcomed enthusiastically by a smiling Tohru, and they all began to relax, settling comfortably into their respective personalities.

            It wasn't until Shigure came back downstairs that they quieted, looking at him expectantly.

            "Oh, thank you!" the writer beamed at them. "Your devotion is touching."  Then he paused, a very false look of betrayal breaking his expression.  "But why didn't you wait for me?  Is there any of my future little wife's delicious cooking left?  Tohru?  Tell me you haven't left me for another!"

            "I told you to stop joking about that," Yuki said angrily, and threw one of his chopsticks at Shigure's face.

            "Oh! Yuki!" Shigure laughed, ducking.  "I didn't see you sitting there.  Silly me."

            "Shigure," Hatori cut in sharply.  "What did Akito say?"

            Shigure's goofy expression slipped as he sat down, his personality altering subtlety. "Well, he doesn't seem very happy, but he's not terribly upset either."

            "Which means you really have no idea what he's thinking, do you?" Hatori inferred.

            "Well, he did say not to bother about Tohru's two friends," Shigure said with a sigh. "Which I must admit was more than I expected."

             Arisa blinked in confusion. Saki displayed no reaction, but the rest of those seated at the table stared at Shigure in astonishment.  Tohru's eyes widened.

            "Why not?" Yuki blurted.  He had never seen such a hopeful look on Tohru's face.  She sat very quiet, listening attentively, though she said nothing.  He couldn't help but wonder with a sliver of fear what game Akito might be playing now.

            "I'm not really too sure just yet," Shigure said.  "But at any rate, he said not to bother about them.  He _specifically_ said that he 'doesn't care about them' and that they 'don't matter,' provided they don't talk about what they've seen or heard."

            Hatori looked amazed.  "I don't suppose you're going to explain that."

            Shigure didn't answer.

            "We don't matter because we don't have any power over your affairs," Saki said suddenly, dipping delicately into a bowel with her chopsticks to put some more vegetables on her plate.  "And we won't give away your secret because we wouldn't want any harm to come to Tohru."  She completely ignored their stunned silence and Shigure's carefully considering look.   "I've always known there was something unusual about your family," Saki continued calmly.  "From what I understand now, you are all living under a very old and powerful curse, something that must have afflicted your family for generations."  She closed her eyes.  "Yes.  The signal is very strong now that I know what it is. You all transform into different animals, like Kyo did into a cat.  When you are under a great deal of stress…"

            "Or when hugged by a member of the opposite sex," Shigure finished with an uneasy laugh.  Saki opened her eyes. Arisa blinked.  Haru was gaping at Saki.  Yuki had no idea what his own face must look like.   "Embarrassing, isn't it?" Shigure continued. "But well, you've figured it out and as Akito has no apparent objection, there's no sense in hiding the particulars.  It's true.  The Sohma family is under the Curse of the Chinese Zodiac.  We have lived with it for hundreds of years, though it afflicts only 14 total members of the family at a time, the twelve Zodiac animals, plus the cat…"

            "Like in the story?" Arisa interrupted.  "About how the thirteen animals are invited to a banquet but then the rat murders the cat or something so he doesn't show up?"

            "That's not how it goes!" Yuki protested.

            "The Rat tricks the cat, Arisa," Saki corrected calmly.  "And because the Cat misses the banquet he is excluded from the Zodiac." She paused thoughtfully.  "How very sad."

            "Yes, well, that's part of it," Shigure said. "And Kyo _is_ officially excluded from a great many things unfortunately, as is consistent with the legend, but…"

            "And this Akito guy," Arisa interrupted again with a leap of intuition and hand slap on the table.  "He's the fourteenth member, right?  What is he, the Zodiac God?"

            A silence fell around the table.  "Well a matter of fact, he is," Shigure said, sounding surprised.

            "Strange," Saki said suddenly, cutting into another stretch of silence she might not have noticed.  "I guess Tohru must have found out your secret, and then promised not to tell.  That is so like her, to keep something so significant even from her closest friends for so long, simply because she cares about the people she is protecting."  Tohru looked down at her plate and said nothing. "No, Tohru," Saki objected, and placed her fingers on her chest with a small smile.  "Do not be ashamed.  It was very honorable.  You have my complete forgiveness.  And," she added, "for your sake the Sohma family has my silence."

            "Yeah," Arisa said.  "I won't tell anyone either.  Not that anybody would believe me anyway."

            "You must be…surprised at least," Shigure said slowly.  "To learn that we have caught Tohru up in something so terrible."

            "What's so terrible about it?" Arisa demanded.  She chuckled.  "I mean, it's kinda funny.  You turn into animals when hugged?  It certainly explains a lot." 

            "It's not funny," Yuki said with a bite of anger.  "It's miserable. You have no idea…!"

            "Hey, Prince, chill out," Arisa said.  "I'm not claiming to know that much about it.  I'm just saying that it doesn't make me want to keep you at arms length.  Geez.  Enough people have ostracized me that I know how unnecessary that is."  She laughed again. "Which animal are you anyway?"

            "Yuki's the Rat," Shigure said.  "I'm the Dog.  Haru is the Cow.  Momiji over there is the Rabbit.  And Hatori is the…"

            "Don't," Hatori warned.  "I'd rather not explain."

            Shigure smiled.  "As funny as you may find it, it must be disconcerting to realize we are so strange."

            "No," Saki said.  "Unlike Arisa, I do not think it's funny at all.  Indeed, I have often wondered what darkness shadows the members of your family, but I can hardly be disconcerted without being a hypocrite, considering how strange I am myself."

            "Well," Shigure said, rubbing his chin.  "I suppose that's true.  I guess I never considered what your angle on it might be."  He seemed more surprised at their lack of reaction than either Arisa or Saki had been hearing of the curse, but then, Yuki thought, Arisa and Saki _were strange people._

            Saki took a sip of her tea without replying.

            "All right," Arisa said as if rallying for a game or a fight.  "I guess we'll figure things out as we go then.  I don't suppose anyone has any objections to my asking Tohru questions now, do they?  No?  Good.  But first I want to deal with this stabbing thing.  What did this Akito guy think about Kyo's being attacked?  Or does he really not care like he said?  'Cause I gotta tell you, I'm hella pissed off!"

            "He was upset that an outsider interfered with the family," Shigure said slowly.  "But he really didn't seem overly concerned.  I imagine he might have more to say about it tomorrow.  It's getting dark, so I doubt he will go home tonight."

            Yuki grimaced but said nothing.

            "Then Hana and I are coming over again tomorrow," Arisa declared.  "I want to get to the bottom of this. Oh say, Hana, didn't you say you felt something weird earlier today?  Before we got those truffles?"

            "Yes," Saki replied.  "Someone was watching us."

            Yuki remembered something Kyo had said too. 

            '_It…prickled.  Just for a moment.'_

            "That Cat said his bracelet felt funny too," Yuki told the group, annoyed by the condescension in his tone but unable to change it.  "Right before…"  He trailed off, lowering his eyes uncomfortably. _Right_ _before I knocked him down and let him go off on his own…_into that danger both he and Saki sensed and I in my arrogance ignored!  _But was that really his fault?  He couldn't have known what would happen._

            Tohru looked up, speaking for the first time since Shigure joined the table.  "Hana, do you think you could sense it again?  Do you think you could find the person who attacked Kyo?"

            "It's possible," Saki said in a monotone, "that I would recognize him if I ran into him, as everyone's electric signal is unique."

            "Well, that's something anyway," Arisa said.  "He was near the school.  Maybe he's someone who goes there."

            "Doubtful," Saki said, and continued to eat. She was the only one still focused on her meal.

            "I…I met someone strange yesterday too," Tohru said suddenly.  "A young boy, maybe my age?   He…he gave me a flower.  He said his name was Belduine Terwhin?"

            "That's a strange name," Shigure said. 

            "And a strange thing to do," Yuki added darkly.

            Shigure smiled at his younger cousin.  "Well, I don't know, Yuki.  It's just a flower."

            "Tohru got hit on by a stranger?" Arisa said, and then leaned back.  "Man, that's funny."

            "He was foreign," Tohru added hastily to distract from the conversation.  "He said he was from some place called Evermore?"

            "There is no place called that anywhere around here," Hatori informed them. 

            "Strange," Saki repeated, staring at her plate as if wondering where all the food had gone.  

            "He could be the same person who attacked Kyo," Arisa mused.  "I guess I had assumed that Kyo got into a fight with someone and pissed them off or something, but maybe he was targeted.  But if it was this guy he would have had had to book it to the school to make the timing fit.  Was he carrying any weapons, Tohru?  That probably would have been a hard thing to miss, huh?"

            Tohru waved both hands in front of her face. "Oh no!" she said hurriedly. "I didn't mean to accuse anybody!  He was really nice to me! And I didn't see any knives or…or anything like that!"

            Arisa pushed her hair away from her eyes, regarding Tohru with a measuring blink.  "All right.  Chill out," she amended. "Innocent until proven guilty."

            Shigure sighed.  "Well, we're probably not going to solve it tonight.  But Saki, you will, um…keep your electric signal on the lookout, hmm?"

            "If that's what you want to call it," the psychic murmured without looking at him.

            A loud bang sounded from Shigure's study and everyone except Saki jumped where they were sitting.  The mood changed instantly.  Yuki and Haru shared a significant look between them.

            Tohru was the first on her feet, one hand clutching at her chest.  "Kyo?"

            The others scrambled up from where they had been sitting. 

            "Careful, Tohru," Shigure whispered.  "We don't know if he's stable.  He might transform."

            Tohru paled visibly, but she still took a step forward.  Shigure quickly followed her.

            "Transform?" Arisa asked.  "He means into a cat, right?"

            "No," Saki said from behind.  She was still seated at the table.  "Something else."  She declined to comment further.

            "The cat is a monster without that bracelet," Haru explained.  "For being excluded from the Zodiac, the Cat's vengeance against its own family results in its being doubly cursed.  His true form is a monster.  I've never seen it myself, but they say it's pretty awful."

            Everyone was quiet as Tohru and Shigure approached the door. Arisa hung back with Saki.  Haru, Hatori and Momiji hadn't moved much either, watching from a distance.  Yuki followed a few paces behind Tohru.

            "Perhaps there's no need for anyone to see it now," Shigure suggested, turning to smile at all of them.  "It sounded more like some of my books falling on the ground than anything else."  He sighed regrettably, one hand on the door.  "And to think, I just organized them all this morning."

            The attempt at light-hearted conversation was having small affect on the rest of them this time.  Tohru's eyes were focused anxiously ahead.  "Kyo?" she whispered, and then turned to look at Shigure, who was blocking her admittance.  "Shigure…?"

            "Oh, right," Shigure laughed, and pushed the door open for her.  Yuki watched his face as he did it, noting how his smile slipped as soon as Tohru was no longer watching him, how he stepped out of her way casually but carefully.

            Tohru stepped inside and they heard her voice fill with relief.  "How do you feel?" she asked, meek and concerned but not a bit frightened.  Yuki let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

            "How do you think I feel?" was the sarcastic reply, but speaking to Tohru the bite of real anger in Kyo's voice was not present.  "I feel like I've been stabbed, that's how I feel!  How did I get here anyway, and where the hell is everybody?  I thought I heard voices.  I'm hungry too.  What time is it?"

            "Oh, um…" came Tohru's garbled answer.  "Everybody's just outside, Kyo.  There's some dinner left, but uh.   I…" She paused.  "We were all really worried about you."

            "Yeah right."

            Silence followed this statement, but then Shigure followed Tohru in, murmuring something Yuki couldn't quite understand.  Whatever it was, it made Kyo yell at him.  Shigure said something about "energy" and through the crack between the door and the wall, Yuki caught a flash of orange hair and a pair of very cross brown eyes.  His vision was obscured when Momiji darted between him and wall, slipping through the door and throwing himself at Kyo with exclamations of unrestrained joy and a million questions about his "fateful duel with a masked assassin."  Where Momiji came up with that story, Yuki had no idea, but the utterance of the title combined with Momiji's bodily contact resulted in a shriek from the Cat as he doubled over in pain.

            "Kyo!" Tohru exclaimed in horror.

            "Momiji," Shigure chastised, his exasperation hiding something closer to amusement.

            Kyo, apparently hurt but not dying, shouted something at the blonde boy that ought not to have been said around Tohru.  Yuki sighed in irritated resignation, still out of view and glad of it.

            When Hatori entered, he began by asking Kyo about how he felt, questioning him about his appetite, his vision, the condition of his head, etc. Kyo answered these questions with an attitude of annoyed unconcern as Tohru continued to smile at him.  Yuki watched through the crack in the door until Haru joined him.

            "Worried weren't you?" Haru asked him in his usual placid tones.

            "No," Yuki said, unable to mask his irritation.  "Why should I be?"

            Haru didn't say anything.

            "Orange-top okay in there?" Arisa asked, joining Yuki on his other side.

            Saki had apparently traded dinner for the sequel of Shigure's trashy, summer romance series.  She sat with her back against the wall and her ankles crossed, reading quietly, ignoring all activity around her.

            "I'd go in," Arisa continued, "but it looks sorta crowded in there and I'd rather not face that temper just after dinner.  You know, my stomach has to settle first."

            Yuki did not attempt to puzzle out this logic.  Conversation was picking up again in Shigure's study.

            "What happened?" Shigure asked.  "Tohru's two friends found you, and Haru, but there was nobody else there, and no clues."

            "_They're here?" Kyo exclaimed.  "Did I…Did they see me?"_

            "They saw you turn into a cat," Tohru was saying quietly, and then added in hasty uptalk, "but, it's all right!  You don't have to worry.  Everything is going to be fine!  Just rest.  We just have to…"

            "That's not what I meant," Kyo said.  "I can't remember exactly what happened, but I remember thinking…"  A pause.  "It's still gone."  His voice shook, something Yuki had not heard it do before.  There was real fear in it.  "I have to find it.  I have to… Did anyone see who…?"

            "As Tohru says, it's best if you just rest for now," Hatori cut in.  "There may be reason to worry, but panicking won't help.  Just relax and concentrate on getting better. We're looking into it."

            "Kyo," Shigure interjected.  "Anything you can remember might help."

            Yuki approached the door cautiously.  Haru was staring off into space, apparently not noticing that he had moved.  Arisa didn't seem to care one way of the other.  Ignoring them both, Yuki stood just outside the door, listening with a concentrated ear, hoping that stupid Cat would remember something useful.  Like Arisa, he wanted to get to the bottom of this. For some reason, he felt this had to do with a lot more than Kyo's bracelet.  This was going to involve the whole family.

            "He came out of nowhere," Kyo was explaining.  "I was just sitting there, and all of a sudden I felt…" He trailed off.  "Whoever it was knew what they were doing.  It wasn't like some delinquent stumbled on an easy victim.  It was almost like I had been targeted.  The way he…"

            "You're sure it was a man?" Shigure whispered.  "That's something at least."

            "Yeah," Kyo said negligently.  "I'm pretty sure it wasn't a girl.  The guy was strong.  And quick, that's for sure, probably as quick as…"

            At that moment Yuki walked in the room and Kyo stopped speaking.

            Yuki had only a moment to assess the situation.  Tohru knelt beside Kyo, her sweet smile ajar with vacant eyes that attended happily only to Kyo's conscious state.  Momiji sat smiling against the table where Shigure's computer sat open and unused, piles of books scattered about save for one toppled pile on the floor.  Shigure knelt on Kyo's other side.  Hatori stood just by the door, his back half turned to the scene.  Kyo himself was sitting up, a blanket wrapped around his waist, one hand pressed to his bandaged side, but his eyes were focused on Yuki, wide and round and surprised.  For a brief instant a deeply pained look crossed his face, a look which turned suddenly to anger, and from anger to hate. 

            And then it happened.

            Tohru recognized it immediately, mouth parting, eyes widening as the blood drained from her face, but everyone leapt to their feet, scrambling backward by instinct and fear as Kyo began to change.  Yuki stood stock still, staring, paralyzed with shock as Kyo convulsed, covering his face automatically, screaming intelligibly as his skin darkened and hardened, his hands enlarging, evolving into thick, three-toed claws.  His eyes widened and then narrowed, gruesome cat-eyes set in the scaly head of some hairless, long-legged greenish cat-monster that hunched over itself, close to the ground.

            "What in hell?"

            Arisa's voice, eyes wide, mouth agape, and Saki and Haru right behind her.

            Enormous, powerful arms swung wildly and Shigure's computer crashed into the wall, exploding in a shower of sparks as the table it had been sitting on was hurled on its side, cracked in two, books sliding off onto the floor.  Tohru ducked, hands covering her ears, eyes shut tight as books missed her by inches.  If anything, in seeing her crumpled over and shaking, Kyo looked twice as dangerous, pain and shame and rage erupting from his throat in a hollow roar that shook the walls.  Without the blast from sound, it would have sounded more like a pained cry.

            "Kyo!" Shigure shouted desperately.  "Akito is here!"

            "Get _out!"  _

            The monster straightened menacingly to its feet and they all fled on impulse, retreating from the room one by one, but once through the door, Tohru remembered herself and turned back, braids whipping around her head.  The door slammed shut on her face before she could reach it, but her little fists banged on the wood repeatedly, her small, tear-choked voice whispering over and over, "Kyo.  Kyo.  Kyo.  Kyo."

            Outside, Yuki trembled, his hands shaking, recovering slowly, feeling a little nauseous and slightly dizzy, but was it because of Kyo's form, the sight and the stench, or the sickening thought in his head?

            _Is it me?  Do I do this to Kyo?_

"We have to find it," he heard Tohru moan as she sunk to her knees, still beating weakly on the door.  Sobs racked her voice.  "Kyo, please.  Let me in.  _Kyo_!  I'm going to find it.  I'm going to find it!"

TBC

Wow.  That was all one scene, wasn't it?  Mini-confrontations with Akito and Tohru's friends getting in on the situation and now this little problem… Did you get through it?  Is this story exciting or dull?  I hope people are still reading!  I know I'm just getting started, but I have a lot of story to tell, so please keep reading and let me know if you're out there!  Expect another update sometime within this next week.  ^_^  Thank you so much!


	4. Akito's words

Hey!  Thank you for anyone who is coming back for chapter four of my Fruits Basket Fantasy Epic.  I've been in Yuki's POV for awhile, but it's time to switch it up.  I've some more Sohmas in introduce (I'll get to all of them eventually), and since the manga has been focusing on Rin lately, I thought I'd open with her.  ^_~  Thank you again for reading!

Evermore

Chapter 4

By Zapenstap

            Rin returned to Kagura's home at the Main House late on the Sunday afternoon, weary and spent of thought and energy.  She closed the door behind her quietly, trod carefully upon the hallway floor, and padded softly up to her room so that Kagura's mom would not hear her or ask any questions.  She never spent much time here anymore if she could help it.  It was difficult being in another person's home for long, especially one where mother and cursed daughter spoke to one another openly and unabashed, where things flowed at least a little bit with a sense of normalcy. Rin tried to be happy for Kagura, to smile at the thought of someone with a similar problem as she living a life less isolated than her own, but she could not manage to assuage all of her bitterness.   So she avoided Kagura and her family when possible.   It made her sick, it filled her with sickness, to be reminded of her own family, of the happy charade that had disintegrated into blackness so suddenly, of the way she had been told not to return, that she was unwanted.  It hurt to be around someone who appeared to wanted, who seemed to be loved, when she herself was cast out, forsaken, abandoned and forgotten.  She wondered sometimes if maybe Kagura wasn't also living in a fantasy.  Could anyone truly understand a cursed human being enough to love them?

            Ah, but then, there was Haru.  Haru loved her, Haru loved Rin, if she dared to let him.  But no, she couldn't bear the thought of what would happen to him if she did.  And it wasn't just fear of what Akito might do, though that thought woke her up nights in a cold sweat.  No, she was afraid of more than just Akito.  It was herself she feared to allow to happen to Haru.  She didn't want to bring him down. She didn't want to depend on him, to cling to him, to allow somebody else to shoulder all her insecurities, her miseries, to be responsible for her happiness.  That wasn't fair.  She had to be stronger than that.  If she was to be alone, if she wasn't wanted, if she existed just to make up _numbers, then it was best to bear that burden __alone.  And if her heart was too weak then she would simply need to be colder, to become harder.  She could temper herself to not need anyone, to carry her own weight, to make her own way through this cursed hell.  Perhaps, if she became strong enough, if she learned not to care about herself, if she became so strong that she didn't care what happened to her, perhaps then she could find a way to break the curse, even if it broke her, even if it killed her.  If she kept trying…  _

            And what about Tohru Honda?  Would that also be her fate?

            Rin sat down on the bed, long, thin black hair spilling around her face and shoulders like syrup poured from a pitcher.  Her whole body seemed to be quaking inside, but she refused to surrender to the tears that threatened to choke her throat.  Her eyes remained dry, her muscles rigid.  She refused to listen to the child-like voice in her that wanted nothing more than to be gathered up and smothered with love, to relax and lie safely in the arms of someone larger and stronger and wiser than herself.  But that person could not be Tohru.  No. She couldn't allow such an innocent, happy person to be dragged down to the dark depths of her family's misery.  His fingers clenched around her skirt, white at the knuckles.  She had slipped once in front of Tohru, had displayed weakness, and felt her strength crack.  No.  It would be best if Tohru Honda disappeared, or if the Sohmas did.  It would be best if…

            "Rin?"

            Rin looked up to see Kagura's pale gray eyes and dark-haired head peering around the frame of her bedroom door.  Not hers.  It was a guest bedroom. Rin could never truly feel at home here.

            She hoped that she had not been crying.  She refused to scrub at her face like a child.  Instead she sat straight and tall, shoulders back, surveying Kagura with midnight dark eyes that swallowed the light. 

            "What is it?" she asked in dark undertones that were almost regal with ridged control. 

            "Hiro's here," Kagura said in those mute, sweet tones that were her signature when her emotions were docile.  "He says he has a message from Shigure.  He wouldn't tell me what it was.  He wants you to come down to hear too."

            Rin followed Kagura downstairs.  She watched Kagura bound down the steps, and though she knew she shouldn't, she found herself contrasting Kagura's character with her own.  Kagura was so immature and impulsive, a person who busied herself trying to be what everybody else wanted and ended up just making life difficult for those she was trying to impress.  She was emotional and her lack of control over those emotions made her make mistakes that caused her to hurt others.  Then why did people seem to like her more than they did Rin, who was smart, mature, and capable?  Why did Kagura's mother love Kagura, and Rin's mother hated her?  Was the Boar more loveable than the Horse, or was it because people would rather have someone to laugh at than to look up to?  But perhaps that was just arrogance.  She ought not to think such thoughts.  She ought to just be happy that Kagura was doing okay, that Kagura was able to be happy.

            Hiro was waiting for them by the front door, having refused Kagura's mother's hospitality to sit down and have a snack in the dining room while he waited.  Hiro's sharp, almond-shaped eyes caught Rin on the stairs and his lips twitched into a smile.  He stood with his arms behind his back and his feet together, his young age and height at a contrast to his mannerisms and intelligence.  She found herself gazing back at him hollowly, one hand on the rail.  Hiro had always looked up to her, and Rin often found herself looking upon Hiro like a favorite younger brother, though she refused to get close to him as she refused to get close to anybody.  Hiro would have helped her try and break the curse, she knew.  She knew that he was clever, and also that he was earnest and sincere in his desire to help, but she could not allow him to try and help her.  She couldn't allow the risk of someone else getting hurt.  If she was to attempt this difficult thing, she had to do it alone.

            "Well?" Kagura asked brusquely, hands clenching into fists, ignored by both Hiro and Rin.  "What is it, Hiro?  What do you have to tell us?"

            The Sheep in the Zodiac glanced at her with a smirk, and Rin could see the glimmer in his eyes that sometimes foreshadowed an insult.  He never tried that stuff with Rin because he trusted her to understand him and knew she would not put up with it, but Rin had seen and heard about Hiro's attitude enough to know what it was about.  Hiro knew when he was smarter than other people, and oftentimes he showed it, not to hurt their feelings but to secure his own position.  He was very self-conscious, very aware of how young he was and how easily it would be for people to patronize him, to treat him like their intellectual inferior because he was still a child.  He hated being talked down to or passed over.  He wanted to be an adult, to have an appearance and position that matched the sharpness of his mind, but few people were willing to indulge him that far.  As a result he was often short with them, proving constantly just how smart he was, that he understood things, that he was _not_ a child.  For now it was without the experience to back it up, but one day he would grow into himself, and if not for the curse, Rin would have believed Hiro capable of taking on the world.

            "We just received a phone call from Shigure," he said smugly, hands still clasped diplomatically behind his back.  "If you didn't know, Akito went to Shigure's house last night. As practically everyone else was already there, he took only Momiji as his entourage.  At first I thought it merely an opportunity to spend the time out from under his eye with Kisa, but Akito didn't return this morning.  And then Shigure called and explained the reason for Akito's abrupt departure yesterday.  As the news was interesting I thought you should know."

            "Just say it," Rin said coldly.

            Hiro took them in separately with a leveling glance.  "It seems that Kyo has let his bracelet get stolen," he said without further preamble, "and gotten stabbed in the process."  Seeing Kagura's wide-eyed alarm, he added with deliberate casualty.  "Oh, don't worry; Shigure assures me that physically he's going to be fine."

            Kagura didn't wait.  Her eyes grew as wide as saucers.  "Oh, my darling!" she gasped, and practically trampled Hiro as she flung open the front door.  It swung open so forcefully it slammed into the wall with a resounding bang.  A picture frame across the room shuddered from where it hung on the wall and fell suddenly, glass shattering across the floor.

            "Kagura?" Kagura's mother called pleasantly from the kitchen.

            "I'm going to see Kyo, mom!" Her voice floated back to the house from a distance.

            Ignoring Kagura, Rin seized Hiro's collar.  "What is the meaning of this?" she demanded in a forced whisper.

            Hiro eyed her without fear, his features cool and composed despite her threatening stance.  "You think I would know?  What makes you think they tell me anything?  All I know is what I've heard and I told you everything.   Kyo's been stabbed and whoever did it took his bracelet."

            Rumors about that bracelet were prevalent.  "Then, is he…?"

            "How should I know?  I've never seen it.  I don't know how it works.  I'm not even sure Kyo knows how it works."

            "Who would…?" Rin began, and then thought about it.

            Hiro's expression was a bit more serious as she released him and took a step backwards.  "Worrying, isn't it?" he said.  "Makes you think that somebody must know, doesn't it?  Kyo's bracelet… It's a tacky piece of jewelry, not worth stealing much less a stabbing," He paused, eyeing her, "unless someone wanted to expose him, of course, or all of us, as the case would be."

            Rin walked passed him and out the open front door, mind buzzing with questions she feared to answer.

            "Where are you going?" Hiro asked in a haughty tone.  But something in it told her he wanted to be included.

            "To see someone," Rin said ambiguously.  "You stay here.  If anyone asks, I've gone out."

            Hiro's eyes widened with indignation and then narrowed.  "No one will ask," he said, and she knew he was angry at her for directing him, for telling him what to do, for blowing him off.  "But even if they do, I won't say anything.  Look, Rin," he began in a different tone, a concerned one, "I know that your parents…"

            She snapped angrily before she thought.  "What would a child like you know about it?"

            She left Hiro in the doorway, looking as if she had kicked him in the face, and strode purposefully away.  Almost immediately she regretted it, ashamed at how harshly and easily she had hurt him, marveling at how easy it was to do when you knew someone well enough to manipulate their weaknesses. 

            But though she felt bad, she didn't stop or turn back.  She feared it would be too difficult to turn around and apologize, not after what she had said, not even knowing that it was wrong to say it.  Guilt wormed inside her and bit deep at her soul, but she ignored it.  It was easier to deal with guilt than shame.  Guilt could be ignored, but shame was for others to see.  So what if he thought her cold or cruel or solitary?  That's what she wanted, right?  That's what she had been training herself for.  It would keep him safer anyway, staying away from her, from what she had to do.  For Haru.

            Without giving it another thought, Rin blanked out thoughts of Hiro and turned her mind to Kyo.  She wondered if telling Kazuma was the right thing to do.  She wished she did not feel so useless and weak being on her own, trying to be strong.

*****

            "Kyo," Tohru whispered hoarsely.

            She sat on the outside of the door in her pajamas, leaning her head against the wood with her legs curled and tucked half underneath her.  So she had sat for hours last night, pleading softly, until Shigure forced her to go to bed, taking her place to keep a watch on the door behind which Kyo had barricaded himself throughout the night.  Kyo wasn't going to go anywhere, but Tohru refused to leave her spot until Shigure promised that Kyo would not be left alone.  After she slept five hours, she woke up and came back.  Shigure was still there when she shuffled down the stairs, reading in a chair, and he sighed when he saw her, informing her that Kyo was still not talking.  When he went to bed himself, Tohru resumed her place at the foot of the door, watching through the windows with tear-filled eyes as the sun rose over the hills and painted the world in a golden light.  She hadn't yet made breakfast for anyone, nor dressed, nor taken a shower, but as no one else was up yet, she didn't see the urgency.

            "Kyo, please talk to me," she whispered again.  "I want to see you.  I…I don't care what you look like."

            She heard him moving inside.  She knew he was awake.  She could just tell, but this was the first time she had distinctly heard him move since right after his transformation the day before.  He had been in a rage then, and the sounds of his cries and crash of objects had not ceased for about an hour.  Then he had gotten quiet, so quiet that even Hatori started to worry.  And he hadn't made a sound since.

            "Kyo?" she asked, lifting herself up on her knees, hands climbing up the door.  "Can you hear me?"  Tears filled her voice, not for the first time.  "Please, Kyo.  I'm so worried."

            All was quiet for a moment, and then she felt more than heard the sound of his hand hitting the other side of the door, at about the same place where her palm was.   She struggled until she was kneeling at the foot of the door, not moving her hand except to clutch at the wood with her fingernails.  She tried to speak but she couldn't think of anything to say that hadn't been said already.  So instead she just sat there, imagining Kyo kneeling on the other side of the door, wondering what he was thinking.

            For hours last night she had tried to persuade Kyo to open the door, to talk with her, to make some sound of recognition, all to no avail.  Shigure and Momiji had also tried to talk to Kyo, and even Hatori and Arisa had made an effort.  Saki had explained only that his electric signal was too chaotic for talking just then and that it might be better for everyone to just go to bed.   Yuki had disappeared long before Saki's advice.  Tohru remembered the look on his face last she had seen him.  It wasn't the angry, exasperated look she was used to seeing on him when Kyo was concerned, but rather the withdrawn, frightened look she associated with him when he was trying to say something to her and just didn't know how to say it.  When Yuki's absence was noted, Haru left too.  Then Hatori ordered Momiji to go to bed.  And at last Saki and Arisa turned in, deciding to stay at Shigure's after all that had happened. Tohru was last, persuaded only by Shigure's promise, but as far as she knew Shigure himself did not sleep until she returned.

            Kneeling outside the door, Tohru tried to imagine Kyo's pain, to understand how deeply he must be hurting, how confused and frightened he must be.  Before today, the secret of his other form was known but not seen.  Now everybody knew, and they had also seen, and he must be wondering what they thought, thinking how nothing could ever be the same again.  

            "Kyo," she cried.  "I know things are different now, or you think that they are.  I don't know what to do.  Please…"

            "You can't do anything."

            The sound of his voice was so surprising that she lifted her tear-streaked face from the door and stared at where her cheek had been pressed, at where she had heard him whispering so quietly.  "Kyo…?"  She scrubbed her face.  "Have you…?  Are you…?"

            "Yeah.  I've changed back," he said quietly. 

            "Then it's okay," she said diffidently, trying to quell the hope that dawned in her.  "Everything will be all right.  You can come out and eat.  And we can talk about it, decide what to do…" Her voice trembled. 

            "It's _not okay," he said, and the bite in his tone made her flinch.  It made her soul ache.  "I can't keep it… Several times now I've changed back, but as soon as I start thinking, I…"  The pain in his voice made her heart feel like it was tearing inside her chest.  She could feel him breaking down, could sense the terror shaking his body, could hear the fear thick on his tongue.  "It's that damn rat's fault!" he said harshly._

            Tohru's hand slipped from the door and she knew his had done the same.  "Kyo," she whispered.  "Don't think about Yuki.  Please.  I think it's that that… When he came in the room, I mean…"

            "I need that bracelet," Kyo whispered.  "I have to find it.  If I don't…"

            A cool voice broke in.  "If you don't, what?"

            It was not Tohru who had spoken.  

            She turned on her knees, looking up at Akito as he stood just behind her, staring down at her from above.  An unpleasant expression twisted his features and his eyes glowed with a light that frightened her.  His face was palely beautiful, like Yuki's, but the way in which he spoke and smiled somehow belied the beauty of his features.  His kimono hung loosely on his shoulders, and though he did not look physically unwell, there was illness in his eyes, a shadow and a strain that seemed to pull his face into a distortion.

            Tohru, eyes sweeping swiftly back, felt her fear increase by the ominous way in which Kyo fell deathly silent behind the door.

            "I hear you've had an accident, Kyo," Akito continued glibly.  He smiled so devilishly that Tohru swallowed, sensing the malice in the undertones of a pleasant voice, like acid boiling under a coat of velvet.  She was kneeling at his feet, spellbound, and knew that she didn't dare move.  "What is it, monster?" the voice continued sinuously.  "What has befallen you?  Complain to me.  I can help."

            Kyo still did not speak.

            "Please," Tohru ventured, imploring before she thought, honest to her emotions.  "Akito-san.  Don't call him that.  He's not well, but he's not a monster.  Akito-san…"

            Akito's attention turned to her, head hanging to stare down at her with hooded eyes. With his body blocking the light it was like he was surrounded by a physical shadow and darkness.  When she looked up, she could barely make out his face, and only enough to see the hard, bitter eyes and the accompanying lifeless smile that sent a chill through her blood straight to her heart.

            "Who's not a monster?" he whispered, still smiling.  "Is it Kyo?  Is it not perhaps…you?"

            She could only stare at him, lifting her head to look up at his eyes from where she sat balled up on the ground.  "What do you mean?"

            Akito's smile became wicked, a flash of cruel delight sparkling in his eyes as he leaned forward, whispering into her ear.  "Isn't it you?" he asked.  "Isn't it you who is causing all this trouble?  Tell me, do you love the Cat?  Do you love the Rat? Which is it?  Which, little girl, which animal do you prefer?  Do you perhaps pity my monster?  Or is it the Rat, the favorite, the first of all the Twelve?  Are you really so nice?  Are you what they think you are?  How can you be so perfect?   Is it not more likely that you are playing games?  Playing with hearts? Are you not enticing them, all of them, to believe something they can never have?  Didn't you know?  Didn't anyone tell you?  They are mine.  All of them, the first to the last, even this pitiable monster.  _I care for all of them.  It is _me_ that they obey, __me who holds their hope, __me who enables them to live.  Not you."_

            "What are you telling her?" Kyo's voice sounded half-strangled, more than half desperate.  "Stop, Akito! Stop it!"

            Akito drew away from her, eyes flickering up to the door, smile vanishing.  Tohru shivered where she knelt, head bowed, eyes squeezed shut.  She was shaking and couldn't stop.  Her mind fumbled to answer the questions, but she choked on the answers, wondering, wondering, is it true?  Is there any truth in it?  She felt sick inside, sick and guilty, because she knew that she _was_ interfering.  But she couldn't stop.

            "I want…" she whispered.  "I want to break the curse.  Akito," She lifted her head.  He wasn't looking at her, but she knew he was listening.  "I want everyone to keep trying," she cried.  "I just want everyone to move forward.  The curse is…"

            "The curse can not be broken," Akito said flatly, dully.  "You can't do anything.  You are merely a divergence, a distraction.  But one day you will realize, everyone will realize the truth that I have known all along, the truth that I have had to explain countless times.  You are all too slow to understand, but upon graduation you _will_ understand."  He smiled again, his lips twitching back as he looked back at the door, as if his eyes could pierce Kyo through the wood.  "The monster knows what is waiting for him.  Do you hear me, monster?  This girl is not invited to the banquet.  And you, because you are a monster, are not invited either.  You will be locked up."  He laughed, a sound that grated harshly in Tohru's ears.  "Did you know that she knows? They all know.  But no one can change anything.  No one can save you.  We are all bound by the curse, to our eternal destiny, to each other.  Accept your fate.  Accept what you are.  Do not complain.  You have no need for any bracelet.  That too, was merely a distraction, a deception to hide your true appearance.  What does it matter if you don't have it anymore?  But do you know something?  Because I love you, I will be nice.  I will let you go into your cage early.  I won't allow others to see you.  I will keep you isolated so no one can hurt you.  Aren't I merciful?  I will even visit you.  Aren't I gracious?  Well, monster?  Answer me!"

            The sound that emitted from Kyo's throat came as if pulled forcibly from him. It was something between a sigh and cry, a noise that seemed to choke up on itself.  Tohru could see him in her mind, on his knees before the door, eyes squeezed shut, trying to block out everything.  

            Akito's attention was diverted abruptly when the front door banged open.  Tohru raised her head, wiping away the tears that had leaked from her eyes, and was surprised to see Kagura standing in the frame, looking at the door she had flung wide with a wince creasing her face.  Luckily, the door had not been broken, but the sight of it only occupied Kagura's attention for a fraction of a second.  In the next she had lifted her head, and upon seeing Akito froze, elbows bent and hands clenched under her chin.

            "Akito?"

            Akito's eyes narrowed.  He stepped away from the door, pulling his kimono around his shoulders.  The glance he threw toward Kagura was one of extreme dislike, but in the next instant his expression softened, and smile spreading once more across his face.  He turned toward her, walking in a straight line to where she stood rooted to the ground, the hem of his robes trailing behind him. 

            Kagura looked up when he was close, still not having moved.

            "Do you still fancy yourself in love with the Cat?" Akito whispered.  Lifting a hand, he grasped Kagura's chin between his thumb and the knuckle of his forefinger.  "Are you still so bold?"

            "I…" The lights in Kagura's gray eyes swam.  "I love Kyo," she said, but the way she said it lacked force, and if she were trying to convince herself.  Under Akito's eyes she trembled, retracting from his touch.

            Akito's eyes narrowed.  "How like a woman," he said.  "How very sentimental.  How deceitful."  But then he smiled, a slick, knowing smile.  His grip on her chin altered slightly, turning into a light caress, knuckles brushing against her cheek.  "You keep on trying to love that thing," he commanded in a harsh, hissing whisper.  "Try to console the monster.  Try to make it up to him.  Break yourself upon that wall.  Expel all your energy until you're dried up, until you're used up, blighted, wasted, cast aside.  It's what you deserve after all, for what you've done."  His hand jerked suddenly, fingers clenching, and Kagura flinched, turning her face away as if bracing herself for a blow.

            But Akito did not touch her.  A moment later he had passed her by, walking outside, shaking his hand as if it stung him, his frail frame absorbed by the sunlight in a harsh, blinding flash.

            Silence settled across the room.   Tohru raised herself slowly to her knees, banishing her thoughts as she watched Kagura staring after Akito, the green scarf around her neck fluttering in a breeze.  She looked white around the lips and her eyes were glassy, having lost some of their shimmer, but then she turned slowly, determination seeming to steal over her features.  

            "Kagura?" Tohru ventured, standing to her feet and reaching out with one hand.  "Are you okay?"

            "Where's Kyo?" Kagura asked quietly, as if she had blanked Akito from her mind completely.  "I came to see him.  Is he in there?" She pointed to the door behind Tohru.  Before Tohru could say anything, she ran forward, shoving Torhu aside and banging on the door.  "Kyo?  Kyo!  It's Kagura!  Open the door, my love!"

            "Kagura, go _away_!"

            "Open it, damn you, or I'll break it down!"  Silence.  "Kyo! I know you're hurt in there!  If you don't want to be hurt more, you'd better open this door!"

            "Ah, Kagura's here.  I should have known."

            Tohru turned to see Shigure and Hatori coming down the stairs with Uo, Hana and Momiji in tow.  They were all watching curiously as Kagura began to do as she had threatened.  In an amazing feat of strength she somehow managed to dislodge the door handle from the door.  She seemed surprised when it came away in her hand, but her confusion only lasted for a few slow blinks before she came to herself.  Tossing the door knob on the floor, she pushed the door open, blasting through it like a steam engine.

            Tohru winced when two mingled cries announced the fact that Kagura had tripped over Kyo.

            "Well, it seems he's changed back," Shigure said happily.  "I thought he might."

            "Tohru," Hatori said to her, and she turned her attention away from the door, having caught a relieving glimpse of Kyo's orange hair as he fell forward on his face.  The yelling that soon commenced was too confused to make out.  "Did Akito come through here?"

            "Um…yes," Tohru said, blinking as she focused on Hatori, and then wondered if she should explain.  "He…he spoke to Kyo through the door, and then he left."  She pointed toward the front door, still wide open.

            "What did he say?" Shigure asked almost eagerly, the question leaping on top of her words.

            "I'd better go after him," Hatori interrupted.  "He'll be upset otherwise.  Momiji?"

            "Aw, Hari.  I wanted to stay!"

            "Come along, Momiji."

            Tohru watched as two more of her guests vanished out the front door, and then suddenly realized that she was not dressed, and neither had she started breakfast for the other seven people residing in the household.

            "Kagura, get _out_!" Kyo shouted.  "You don't know anything!  Leave me alone!"

            "Um, Kagura," Shigure called.  "Why don't you do as he says for now, hmm?"

            Kagura emerged from the room with one of Kyo's flailing hands tucked under her arm, liquid gray eyes looking at Shigure with an innocent, almost lucid shimmer.  "Oh but, Kyo needs someone to look after him," she said.  Kyo struggled in her grip, but she seemed not to notice.  "And I want to.  I do."

            "We'll get it all sorted out over breakfast," Shigure said cheerfully.

            "I'm not coming to breakfast!" Kyo shouted, and managed to pull his arm out of Kagura's grasp suddenly.  The door slammed shut again.  Kagura jumped, looking a little startled.  Now that the lock was broken, Tohru imagined Kyo standing with his back to the door, trying to hold it closed with the force of his body.

            "But aren't you hungry, my love?" Kagura exclaimed, merely turning to look at the barrier that once more separated them.  She didn't appear overly concerned about being able to get in.

            "You should be quite hungry, Kyo," Shigure seconded with a smile.  "You haven't eaten since lunch yesterday, am I right?"

            "I'm not coming out," Kyo said. "There's no telling… There's no telling when I might change.  Maybe if you keep that damn rat out of my sight, but... I don't know.  I think I ought to be alone.  Without that bracelet…"

            "What's going on?"

            Kyo fell abruptly silent, as if he had bit his tongue.

            Tohru turned to look at the stop of the stairs to see Yuki rubbing sleep out of his eyes.  Even when he was tired in the mornings, the sight of him made her feel silly inside, and though she knew he wouldn't like it, she couldn't help but think just how beautiful he was.  She felt her cheeks flush and hurriedly submerged the thought.

            "It's so early," Yuki continued, always slightly irritated right after he woke up.  "Why are you making all this noise?  What time is it?"

            "How can you _sleep_?" Uo demanded.  "I kept waking up all night.  I'm ready to go out and nab that assassin."

            "He wasn't an _assassin_.  I'm not dead!" Kyo shouted from inside his room.  "And I'm glad we woke you up!"  He pushed the door back open suddenly, leaning around the frame to shake a fist and bellow at Yuki. "Do you hear me, rat boy?"

            "Clearly," Yuki said, looking more awake but still standing at the top of the stairs, glowering down at Kyo with narrowed eyes.  "I don't know how you can stand to be so loud at this hour.  Stupid cat."

            Kyo looked to be thinking up a come-back when he suddenly froze, staring at Yuki with surprise.

            "Seems you can come to breakfast after all, Kyo," Shigure sang.  "Why don't we find you some clothes?  Tohru, do you think you could get started on breakfast?"

            "Um, sure," Tohru said, and then realized she was still barefoot in her yellow pajamas.  "Let me go get ready first.  Can you wait?"

            "I don't know," Shigure mused with an expressive sigh, and then smiled at her.  "I guess we'll give it a shot."

            As she ran up the stairs, she saw the surprise in Kyo's face reflected in Yuki's. They were still staring at each other, astonishment leaving no room for any other emotion.  Haru was standing in the hallway just behind Yuki, his expression unreadable, though he seemed more concerned at reading Yuki than Kyo.  

            "Okay," she heard Uo saying from below.  "As soon as Tohru gets us breakfast, I propose making a sweep of the area where Kyo was attacked to look for clues.  Then we'll start asking questions, you know, discreetly, to see if anyone knows this Belduine guy.  What do you think, Hana?"

            "It's too early for my less-than-average brain to sort out the electrical waves I am receiving.  I simply can not make any decisions at this time."

            While Tohru hurriedly showered and dressed, she wondered if they would really be able to help Kyo.  She wanted to find his bracelet, even though he hadn't transformed at seeing Yuki today, and even despite the things Akito had said, but she wasn't sure if looking for clues where Kyo was attacked was going to help.  And if this Belduine person was dangerous, she wasn't sure it was wise to ask questions about him.  But she wasn't going to get disheartened!  No, she just had to pull through, to keep going, for Kyo, and for everyone.  Even Hana and Uo were involved and it was better to do something than nothing!

            When she came back downstairs, she found breakfast already made and everyone seated around the table.  She was so startled she wished everyone a second good morning before she found herself padding into the kitchen to see who had alleviated her of her duties.  Sliding the door open, she saw Kyo standing at the sink, alone and away from the group, cleaning the dishes and not participating in the conversation that floated in from outside.  He looked the same as she remembered from the back, standing barefoot with one fist on his hip, but as she had never seen such an expression in his eyes before, intent and fearful, yet determined at the same time.  Hope seemed to flicker on and off in them like a candle flame as he methodically washed and dried the dishes he had used to make breakfast.  Her heart flared with an emotion she could neither describe nor express, but she found herself wanting to speak to him.

            "Um…Kyo?" she said.

            "You didn't have to come in here," he said quietly, but something in his voice told her he really didn't mind if she did.  "There's a plate waiting for you on the table.  I made breakfast for everyone," he continued.  "Since, you know, you weren't ready and stuff."  His eyes never left the dishtowel, but she noticed that his face was pale. 

            Was he really just trying to help out, to be nice to her?  She knew his thoughts were probably elsewhere this morning.  She hadn't had breakfast ready because of him.  "You're still worried," she whispered, leaving a bit of a question in the statement as she waited, standing contritely by the door.  "You haven't been able to figure out how to keep from changing yet?"

            "Maybe it's random," he said, sounding so depressed, not looking at her.  "Or maybe I can control it in some way.  I don't know.  I just don't want to be around a lot of people right now.  A couple of times last night I was able to stop it halfway through, but I…" He closed his eyes.  "Maybe Akito's right," he whispered through clenched teeth.  "Maybe I've been running from this.  I can't join society.  Not this way.  I shouldn't lie to myself.  There's no way…"

            "Don't give up," Tohru pleaded, cutting in hurriedly.  "We'll find a way.  We'll start by finding your bracelet.  You'll see.  Everything will work out.  No matter what Akito said, you…you're not a monster, Kyo."

            "No, he's not."

            Kyo dropped the cup he had been drying, eyes flying open as he spun around.  "M…Master. What are you doing here?"

            Tohru turned too, surprised to see Kazuma standing in the door.   He must have entered the house when she came into the kitchen, and had probably even spoken to the others.  She had not noticed, but her eyes softened at seeing him. She was glad he was here.  This was the man Kyo looked up to and depended on more than any other, and she was so afraid for Kyo right now.

            "Hello, Kyo," Kazuma murmured, looking Kyo up and down.  Kyo's bandages were hidden under his clothes now, and he was moving about fairly normally, as far as she could tell.  If she hadn't seen it for herself, she might not have known that he was so sorely hurt, but Kazuma seemed to know somehow.   "Rin told me," he answered.  "She wouldn't come herself, not with Haru here, but she told me what happened.  Are you all right?"

            "Rin?" Kyo sputtered.  "Damn it!  Does everyone know?"

            Tohru remained silent, watching Kazuma Sohma.  Nothing seemed to upset this man who had taught the Sohmas martial arts, who was connected closely to the main house even if he wasn't cursed.  He waited patiently through Kyo's raging, waiting for his anger to burn itself out, that gentle, caring expression never leaving his face.  Despite his peaceable demeanor, there was a strength and control in this man.  He was like a stone tower with a foundation buried deeply into the earth, a structure of strength and power that she knew from Kyo's stories could conquer anyone or anything.  He was ever unassuming, displaying nothing of his skills, but even without Kyo's stories Tohru could sense it, a confidence and a force of will that was a comfort if it was not a threat.

            "Kyo?" Kazuma prompted again.

            "Yeah, I'm fine," Kyo mumbled, flushing and turning his face away.  "Hatori took care of it, though I doubt he did it for me."

            "No," Kazuma contradicted.  "I'm sure he did, but we'll talk about that later.  Right now I am more interested in confronting whoever it was who attacked you.  You can't remember anything?"

            "Not very well," Kyo mumbled with downcast eyes.  "This whole thing is pointless.  We've got nothing to go on."

            "I want you to stay home today," Kazuma continued as if that were not a discouraging note or any hindrance.  "You should go about your day as you normally would.  If you find it difficult to stay as you are you might have to depend on the rest of us to help you."  Kyo opened his mouth to protest indignantly, but Kazuma rode over him.  "However, if you manage to control your transformation, and if we don't find anything today, we might need your help tomorrow.  It's not Yuki that caused you to change?"

            "I guess not," Kyo mumbled, scratching his head.  "But I swear that last night it was thinking of him that did it."

            "Then don't think of him," Kazuma advised.  "Tolerate him as you have been doing since you came to live here.  He will be helping."

            "That damn…?!"

            Kazuma waved a hand.  "He told me just now that he wants to help.  It may not be for your sake.  This matter concerns everyone.  If it bothers you, don't think of it."

            Kyo looked away.  Tohru could tell he was struggling with something, struggling to release some fear or thought that upset him.  She could see it in the way his fists shook at his sides.  "Master, do _you think I'm a monster?"_

            "No," Kazuma said definitely.  "I don't.  You're not if you believe you are not."

            Kyo didn't say anything for a long moment, not lifting his head to meet anyone in the eye.  Tohru watched him anxiously, hoping that he would believe Kazuma over Akito, but she also knew how important Akito was to the cursed members of the Sohma family, or she was starting to understand.  In the quiet, they all heard snatches of the conversation in the other room, and what Tohru heard specifically distracted her.  She looked away from Kyo, eyes widening in surprise, and even Kyo lifted his head, darting forward to the door.

            "Oh," Kagura was saying from the other room, her voice sweet and calmer now, but carrying clearly into the kitchen. "Belduine, yeah.  I've heard about him."

            Blinking, Tohru walked out of the kitchen, Kyo and Kazuma following her.  Everyone was still seated around the table, empty dishes stacked to one side, conversing quietly.  Yuki smiled at her when she came into view and she found herself flushing unconsciously again under his stare. She remembered what Akito had said to her, the haunting question he had demanded that she answer, and felt her thoughts chasing each other into corners.  It was not something she should be thinking about, something she was always telling herself not to think about these days.  Neither Yuki or Kyo… She wasn't ready…  It wasn't possible… Willfully, she stopped thinking of it.  "Um, excuse me," Tohru said, smiling at everyone in response.  "Did I miss something?"

            "Your friend Kagura was just telling us that apparently your friend Belduine was at her school yesterday," Saki told her with a voice as blank as her face, and then held out her cup.  "Is there any more tea?"

*****

            Minami was walking out of a drugstore and thinking about the meeting scheduled tomorrow for the Prince Yuki Fanclub when she was suddenly confronted by a boy she had never seen before.  At first, she only registered the boy as a charmingly cute stranger who was in her way, but then she realized how forwardly he was looking at her, waiting as if he knew her, and became extremely annoyed.

            "_Excuse me.  Do you mind not staring at me like that?  Thanks."_

            "Sorry," he replied, and smiled at her so broadly that she found her irritation slipping sideways.  Taken aback by such a sweet, child-like face, she noted again how cute he was (though not nearly, not even _remotely as cute as Yuki, she reminded herself) and wondered if maybe this boy's stare had more behind it than general rudeness._

            "Can I help you with something?" she asked bluntly.

            "Um, yeah, maybe," he said, and fished a piece of paper from his pocket.  "I'm looking for the people on this list.  Do you know any of them?"

            Minami took the sheet of paper and scanned it.  "I can't read this," she said, flinging it back at him.  "What language is it?"  It certainly wasn't Japanese.  And it wasn't Chinese either, or Korean.  And it didn't look like English either or any language that used a Roman alphabet.

            "Oh, sorry," the boy said again.  "That was stupid of me.  How about I read the names off the list?"

            "Uh, I kind of have somewhere to be," she said, feeling abruptly like this was more than a little strange and not having the patience for it.

            But the boy just started reading.  "Yuki Sohma, Hatsuharu Sohma…"

            He didn't get any further.

            "Prince Yuki?" she said, and grabbed the list out of his hands again.  She still couldn't read it, but she found herself memorizing the strange characters that made up Yuki's name in this foreign alphabet.

            "He's a prince?" the stranger said in some surprise. 

            "Uh…" She wasn't really listening anymore, going over the pen strokes in her mind.  She could already write Yuki's name in a dozen languages, but she didn't have this one yet!  "Yeah," she babbled.  "He goes to our High School, Kaiwaia High.  He's in my class, actually, class 1-D.  He's the most amazing…"

            "Thanks," the boy said, and Minami blinked at her empty hand before realizing the kid must have taken it back while she was spacing out, dreaming about Yuki.  "You've been a great help."

            "What do you want him for anyway?" she asked, straightening.

            "Oh, it's not me," the boy said. "It's just better if I find them before She does."

            "What do you mean?" she asked, blinking slowly, and then became angry, wondering if by "She" he meant some floozy girl who was going to swoop down out of nowhere and snatch her dear Prince Yuki…but wait, didn't he say _them?_

            "Have you had lunch yet?" the boy asked suddenly, interrupting her thoughts.

            "Um, no."

            "Can I take you out?"

            Minami turned all sorts of different colors, fumbling to hold onto her other thoughts as she tried to process the question.  "I don't even know your name," she babbled.

            "Belduine Terwhin," he said and gave her such an elaborate bow that she found herself completely speechless.  "And you?" he asked.

TBC

*laughs*  I actually didn't get through all the stuff I wanted to in this chapter, but it was getting long so you will have to wait for the next chapter before the Sohmas (and friends) encounter Belduine again!   This chapter had a lot more to do with private Sohma angst, I know, but that stuff is important!  It just took more space than I thought it would.  There will be more action and plot-oriented information in the next chapter.   I hope it will be worth reading so please come back if you are enjoying the story!

On a different note, I have to thank each and every one of my reviewers for giving me some of the most _incredible_ reviews I have ever had in the two years I have been writing fanfiction.  I am used to getting reviews that say "write more" or "this was good" and I just have to say that it is so wonderful to get back from work and find presents in my inbox that are so long and thoughtful.  Thank you so _so_ much for taking the time to review for me.  I take my writing seriously, and it means so much to know that other people are enjoying it.  The reviews I have received from all of you are so helpful and they really so encourage me to keep writing this story.  So anyway, thank you all very much.  You didn't have to, but I do love it.  It's worth the time it takes to thank you.  Please forgive me if I miss anyone.

Kyra Rivers:  Yay!!!  You came back!  I did my best with Yuki and Momiji.  I hope you are enjoying the other characters as well.  I am doing my best.  Thank you very much for taking the time to read.  You are awesome.  Seriously.  I really appreciate it!

Caiti:  Wow!  Thank you very much for the offer.  If I need anything, I will certainly let you know.  I do get writer's block from time to time.  A cliff-hanger after every paragraph, you say?  I'm so flattered!  Thank you.  This chapter may have been a bit slower, but I hope it was still good!  Thank you so very much for reading it!  And yes, Ayame and Ritsu will be in this story!   I love all the characters.  I will try to do them all justice. 

SAL-chan: A black eye, eh?  Naughty Haru.  I don't want to spoil the story but some of your questions will be answered in the next chapter!  Please keep reading.  As for your offer, hmm… what do you got?  ^_~

Kimna:  Do you really think so?! I hope you keep reading! 

Melinda the Digimon Pet: Your guesses were great!  I hope you are still trying to figure it out.  I love doing that myself so I'm trying to provide lots of things to think about.   What are your thoughts on Akito's behavior in this chapter?

Rivulet:  Your reviews make me laugh for pleasure.  Thank you so very very much for your thoughtful responses.  As for breaking the curse….there's a LOT more story to tell and I don't want to spoil it.  Just wait…it's still got to "do it's own thing" as I noted in the first chapter, and there's still a fantasy element (quite a complicated one) to employ.   I hope you liked this newest chapter!

Lady Kara: Oh my gosh!!! You have read TWO of my stories.  I looked at you favorite stories and saw Relena's Decision there.  *is so happy*  Thank you so much.  I am immensely wowed.  I hope you like my Fruits Basket writing as much as my Gundam Wing writing (assuming, of course, that you like it!)

ChibiCat:  Oh, you don't have to be Ritsu!  But Ritsu will be in the story later.  ^_^  As for Kyo…almost.  It was meant to be a bit misleading.  I hope your friend read my story!  The more the merrier!

The Great Thing:  Ah!  I can't get over how much I love your reviews! There will be more between Saki and Akito.  There will be a lot more of Akito in general.  I'm really fascinated by Akito.  But I don't want to spoil it! I only hope that you continue to like my story and keep reviewing it because I'm addicted to your comments.  Thank you so much.  *bows*  I hope you will like what I have planned from Kureno and Arisa, and yes, there will be other pairings.  I have lots of lovely romance waiting in the wings!

JexyBaby:  Oh wow!  You reviewed both of my fics!  Don't think I didn't notice.  I am overwhelmingly grateful for your compliments.  And see?  Kyo's case is not hopeless.  He will be in more of the story the way we love him most.  Please keep reading!

Flirting with Incoherence:  I'm so glad to see you!  Hopefully Yuki's emotions are making sense.  As for Belduine, I hope you stay tuned!  I don't want to ruin it for you!

GrrL N:  Oh, you came back!  Yay!   It seems I switched the trigger for Kyo's transformation up on you a bit.  ^_^  What did you think of Akito this chapter?

Mizaya:  I love you!!   And you know, it's true.  I do feel like I'm writing non-stop sometimes, though it only took me two days to work out this chapter, so I'm getting to be more efficient.  Even so, I'm SO easily distracted.  Oh well.  ^_^   Anyway, I hope it's ultimately a good thing that I write IC.  I read over every line a million times trying to get it like that.  I introduced some more characters this time around.  Do you think I got them right?   Hope you are going to keep our bargain and update Divine Interventions tomorrow!  I was wowed by that Arisa-Kureno and Saki-Akito scene in the 6th chapter, but I now want to see what the other Sohmas are up to!  I want to see that curse smashed up!

Thanking everyone takes up a lot of time and space.  If it annoys anyone, please let me know.  It is my intention to honor my readers for taking the time to read my story, nothing else.  So again, thank you all very, very much and please come back next chapter!

-zapenstap


	5. Whispers

A/N: I have some apologizing to do to my returning readers (have you returned?). I sorta promised some people that I would have this chapter posted almost a week ago and I am obviously a big fat liar. Let me explain! Since my last post two weeks (?) ago those of you who have me on Author Alerts were told that I had posted a chapter for a different story. Well, there's your evidence as to what I was doing that first week: I am writing two lengthy stories at the same time. Directly after that, I began packing up all my junk and moved back to school. I have since been engaged in highly compromising before-school-activities that are mandatory for me. I tried writing this chapter in bits in pieces as I was able to during hour breaks and at night when I should have been sleeping. But writing in spurts is difficult for me to do and I ended up having to rewrite and edit a lot of that. Then, probably because I wasn't sleeping enough, I got sick. I tried writing with a fever on Thursday, snf for anyone else who contemplates that in the future, it's not recommended. The writing was crap. The only person I felt I had in character was Akito. It was really terrible. I had to rewrite a lot of it. On top of that, I have had no internet since I moved back to school, except for Aim for some reason. But that was fixed yesterday and it turned out I had a virus, which has been cured. At any rate, these are my excuses as to why this installment is so late. Anyway, please please keep reading and don't think for a second that I won't be continuing this story. I most definitely will.

IMPORTANT: Also, this chapter is pretty dang **long** so I split it in **_two_** so it would be easier to read. Technically, it's all supposed to be one part as far as the flow is concerned, but you can treat it as two chapters if you prefer. Anyway, take your time and I hope you like it. ^_^

PS: If the formatting is screwed up, it's because I am using a different computer with a slightly older version of Word. I may try to fix it, but maybe the centering will work this time?

Evermore

Chapter 5

By Zapenstap

Akito slumped over his windowsill, trailing one fingernail along the outside wall, watching the birds in his garden flitter and hop from bush to bush, crowding together in community so that he could never be sure just how many there were hidden under the leaves. Once and awhile one would take flight from the others and vanish beyond his gaze, but he did not move his eyes to follow it. He had no control over them, but it made his heart burn to watch anything fly free.

He heard the creak of his door opening but did not turn to see who it was. He knew who it was. Kureno had brought him lunch again. It was always at the same time, always in the same way. Akito allowed himself a moment of pleasure because he remembered that he had forbidden Kureno to speak when he arrived with meals anymore. The repetition of the other man's voice always announcing the same thing day after day had irritated him so he commanded it to stop. Kureno always accepted his commands without question. He was the bird, the only bird in the vicinity with its wings clipped. Akito smiled as though the thought satisfied him, though inwardly he felt nothing. Until the end, he would keep Kureno close.

"You're not my favorite, though," Akito said coolly, as if the man should be expected to follow his thoughts. "You aren't any good at all. That's why you need to be supervised. You wouldn't be able to survive out there."

Kureno said nothing. Akito heard the sound of the tray being set down and felt a wave of annoyance rise up in him. There were things going on that he didn't know about. He hated not knowing. Shigure told him everything about the Sohmas of course, had explained everything that had happened over the weekend too, but somehow there were still secrets he didn't know, people interfering from outside. But this family was his, and no one, not the family itself nor any outsider was going to wrest away his control over them, his responsibility to them. 

He hung over the windowsill, feeling tired, weak, and thought he might be running a fever. He felt shaky and heavy and dizzy and chills gripped him occasionally. He wouldn't say anything, though. He would wait for it to get really bad so that he could worry them. It would keep them on their toes, frighten them, remind them of whom they had to be attentive, of who they were supposed to care about the most. 

"We need to find him," Akito said, thinking of what he knew, of what Shigure had told him. That an outsider had talked to Tohru Honda, another outsider, did not bother him, but that he had been heard at Kagura's school asking about the Sohmas…That angered him greatly. "You will need to bring him to me. I will deal with him. For interfering with this family, for getting too close to our curse…" He smiled without warmth. "You will tell Shigure what I said. The others aren't supposed to see you, but since this is a special case I will let you call him. I can only hope you can manage it. I know how hopeless you are." His eyes narrowed. He felt Kureno approaching and hunched in on himself, annoyed by the proximity, glaring balefully out the window. "The one who attacked my monster must be found and brought to me," he said viciously.

Kureno laid a hand on his shoulder and Akito stubbornly sunk his chin into the crook of his arm, not turning to look at him, eyes staring fixedly out over his sleeve.

"You need to eat."

"You will do as I have said," Akito repeated scathingly, feeling a strange and uncomfortable burning sensation in his throat.

"Yes," Kureno agreed immediately without much emotion, and reached up to feel Akito's forehead. "And I'll send for Hatori. Akito, you need to tell us when you are feeling this way."

Akito didn't say anything. He turned his head, pulling away from Kureno's hand, and sank lower until most of his face was buried in his elbow. He glared out at the birds from over his sleeve, hating them in their ignorance, envying them their freedom, though sometimes he wondered what he would look at if they were not there.

When Akito pulled away, Kureno simply stood there. When he made no response, Kureno turned to leave, but at the last second Akito reached out and seized him by the wrist.

"I've changed my mind. Stay here," he said, and adjusting his surface attitude, hiding the strain in his voice as he lifted his head. His grip lightened on Kureno's wrist as he smiled pleasantly, turning from the window and trying to relax, to keep his face from tightening or his hands from clenching. "Stay and eat lunch with me," he coaxed. "Don't…don't leave me alone."

*****

"Nothing?" Arisa asked Saki on Monday morning. "No strange waves?"

"Not a vibe," Saki replied, her hands clasped demurely in front of her, dark eyes void of emotion.

The sky was clear again today, and though it was still early morning, it was already starting to feel warm. Arisa brushed her hand across her forehead, sweeping blonde hair up out of her eyes as she surveyed her High School's grounds. It was too damn early. It was earlier than she was used to _waking_ up to go to school, much less already _being_ there. Before-school clubs were still in session and only the students who came at this time regularly--for whatever demented reason--were milling around as they chatted with their friends about their weekends.

Arisa had no desire to discuss her weekend. Though the practical realities of the situation shocked her less than she supposed they would most people, she still felt as if she had hurtled headfirst into a bizarre fairytale and was living some twisted parody of her real life. Only Saki's blank acceptance and Tohru's all-welcoming complacency about it all kept her from rejecting all that she had seen. Arisa chuckled to herself. Man, that girl…

"We need to find something today," Arisa muttered. "What with that Kagura's girl's lead being a dead end and all." 

"Are you _sure_ you want to find something?" Saki murmured back. "Something about all of this feels very strange to me."

"Yeah. I _do_," Arisa said definitely, eyeing Saki askance. "Did you _see_ Tohru yesterday? She kept tripping and running into things because she was so worried. You know, Orange Top's locked himself in his room again."

"Yes," Saki whispered. "And it is indeed a shame that his bracelet was stolen, but I'm not sure that I am ready to know why it was taken. As I said, this all feels very strange to me. It's almost… otherworldly."

"Otherworldly?" Arisa laughed. "What, you think a ghost did it? Hana, you're starting to lose your credibility."

"No. Not that kind of otherworldly."

Arisa stared at her, but Hana made no indication that she was joking. "Um, sure, all right. Why don't we check out the front of the school?"

Kagura Sohma's comment over Sunday breakfast about Belduine hadn't proved to be much use in finding him and in a day and a half they had drawn no closer to recovering Kyo's bracelet. All they knew was that some girls Kagura went to school with had found a foreigner named Belduine interesting, and there was a rumor he had been asking about a family named Sohma. Arisa and Hana had spent all of yesterday afternoon plodding about Kagura's school hoping to gather more information, but being a local community college, Kagura's school's grounds were extensive, and after an entire afternoon of interrogating strangers, Saki announced that there was nothing there to find. Nobody they ran into had ever heard of Belduine Terwhin. Nobody knew anything about a stolen beaded bracelet. When they returned empty-handed to Shigure's, Arisa noticed that Kyo's hope was dropping and Tohru's optimism had escalated to new levels of enthusiasm, a sure sign that she was really starting to fret. 

Today was a school day, and it was with growing frustration that they resorted to Arisa's original plan to check out the place where Kyo had been attacked. Arisa got up and came to school early today with a good attitude, but now she was getting irritated. On top of walking all over campus with Saki and discovering nothing useful for the second day in a row, she was probably going to have to go to class now.

"Minami," Saki said suddenly.

Arisa lifted her head, snapping out of her thoughts by the sound of that name uttered from Hana's lips. Granted, Saki often said strange things, but mentioning individual members of the Prince Yuki Fan Club by name was notable when 'those girls' usually sufficed to categorize them. "Where?" Arisa asked, oddly intrigued. Saki's observations were always to be taken on at least somewhat of a serious level.

Saki pointed with one rigidly extended arm to where a rather plain girl with sandy hair separated into pigtails was walking down the hallway, trailing one hand along the wall, looking rather lost in thought. 

"She looks kind of out of it," Arisa muttered. "And she's alone. Where are those Prince Yuki Fan Club friends of hers? Don't they have meetings on Monday mornings?"

"I'm surprised," Hana murmured, "that you would know that."

Arisa put her hands casually behind her head and faked a smile. "Hey, it's not like I'm thinking of joining or anything. But what about _Minami_? Think she dropped out?"

Saki's response was interjected. "I think she heard you."

Minami had looked up vaguely, turning to look around her as if not sure who had said her name. Her eyes swept over Saki and Arisa twice before she realized there was nobody else nearby. "What do _you_ want, Yankee?" she demanded loudly. Her eyes strayed nervously toward Saki, but Saki made no aggressive moves, her face and eyes as blank and placid as always.

Arisa strolled a few feet toward her. "I was just wondering where the stalker squad was today," she said conversationally as she flashed Minami a falsely threatening smile. "Did they kick you out of the club? Or are you looking to get the jump on the Prince alone for a change?"

"Huh?" Minami said with complete bafflement. Then, as if operating on a five- second delay, she blinked, looked down at her feet and pressed her fingers to her temples. "Oh, right. Yuki," she muttered, and her face turned an interesting shade of crimson. "I completely forgot. Today is Monday. How could I forget?"

"That's what _we_ were wondering!"

Three girls rounded the corner in a group, all of them prominent members in the Prince Yuki Fanclub and all of them glaring at Minami with equal expressions of severe chastisement. "Ah hell," Arisa muttered to Hana, "guess they'll work it out. We might as well go to class." But strangely, Saki remained where she was. Following her cue, Arisa waited. The club did not seem to notice them standing there, quietly off to the side.

"So where were you yesterday and this morning?" one of the girls demanded of Minami. Arisa wasn't sure what her name was. They all looked the same after awhile.

Minami held out her hands defensively. Her face alternated between an embarrassed blush and a foolish smile. "Um, well, actually, I went on a date."

Arisa burst out laughing. 

"Interesting." Saki twisted her head slightly and because everyone had been eyeing her either nervously or curiously, they all turned to look at what she was watching.

Yuki had appeared at the edge of the school grounds, arms hanging loosely at his sides as he strolled toward them with Tohru on his left. Yuki was looking down at Tohru, speaking quietly, and she was looking back up at him with eyes so wide she seemed lost and a gaping smile on her face. The Fan Club girls shot Tohru identical looks of jealous hatred, expressions that didn't smooth over until Yuki and Tohru came closer and Yuki looked up. 

"Miss Uotani. Miss Hanajima." He turned his eyes politely toward the others. "Good morning, girls."

Minami looked fit to die. The shade of her face would have shamed a flamingo. She blathered and sputtered to herself, almost under her breath, standing stock still, as if she could turn invisible by not moving. Forcibly ignoring her, the rest of the Prince's fan club looked slightly dazed, mesmerized by Yuki's every little gesture, some of them catching their breath if his eyes crossed over them.

Yuki wasn't paying attention. His gaze had shifted back to Tohru as if she were the obvious thing for his eyes to latch onto when he wasn't doing something else. Tohru seemed to be oblivious, but Arisa sighed inwardly, tapping her fingers against her arm. Though she did like attractive men, Yuki was a bit _too_ pretty for Arisa's tastes. Those large, amazing eyes of his made it seem as if he was an open and approachable person, but something about him was mysterious. Arisa liked honest people best, and wondered suddenly if the Prince wasn't hiding more secrets than his curse. His popularity seemed a part of him. He was the kind of person you either immediately hated with jealousy or admired in spite of your envy. Beautiful, graceful, athletic, scholarly and unfailingly polite, he _was_ a princely figure, remarkable in almost any crowd. Arisa preferred someone she could yell at who knew how to answer, someone she could make fun of who would poke fun back, someone kind and intelligent even when he seemed clueless, like that man--Kureno--that she had met in the convenience store that one time. But Tohru was not like Arisa. What was Tohru like? Who could be good enough for her? Was even the Prince enough? Tohru always seemed half startled whenever she was in Yuki's presence in public, as if she couldn't quite reconcile herself being at all close to someone like Yuki. But Yuki was not as oblivious to Tohru, and it was growing more obvious all the time.

The fan girls were practically glowering. The malicious glares they aimed at Tohru crossed badly with the simpering smiles they tried to simultaneously adopt for Yuki. The result was rather comical.

"Kyo not coming then?" Arisa asked as casually as she could so as not to upset Tohru, smiling for the fan girls as she turned her back on them.

Yuki's expression was unreadable but Tohru looked troubled. "Um, no," she began worriedly, but as if realizing the way she sounded, abruptly raised her energy as if to convince them that there was nothing at all the matter. "He said he wasn't feeling well and that he doesn't seem to want to be in anyone's company today. But… I think it's okay if he misses a day of school. I mean what if… what if something bad happens to him?"

Arisa knew what she meant; she could read the fear and pain and worry in Tohru's eyes. Kyo was wounded and unstable. The thought of his transformation still made her feel sick and numb inside. She never wanted to see anything like that again. Perhaps school was not the best place for him. And yet, he was the only one who might be able to recognize his attacker. But suppose they never found anything? He could not shut himself away from the world forever…could he? Arisa felt a lump of foreboding plummet from her heart to her stomach.

"Don't be _ridiculous_," Minami was protesting in a loud whisper to her friends in the background, eyeing Yuki out of the corner of her eye. " I felt like all I _talked_ about was Prince Yuki!" She stamped her foot emphatically. "I'm still a member! No guy is ever going to be able to push the Prince from his rightful place in my heart! I mean…" She floundered, still blushing furiously.

"I wonder," Saki said suddenly, looking up, "if Minami's date was with anyone we know."

"Why do you care?" Arisa said. "Are you thinking about joining their club now?"

"I don't know when the meetings are," Saki replied.

"She… went on a date?" Yuki processed with a slow blink. His expression made her think suddenly of a mouse.

Arisa raised an eyebrow and smirked teasingly. "Aw, come on Prince. Don't tell me you're feeling _jilted_. Gonna miss the fan club if they all get boyfriends?"

The vulnerable expression she had seen vanished, replaced by aloof annoyance. "That doesn't even deserve a reply," Yuki said blandly, and the subtle snap of irritation in his undertone was surprisingly satisfying. But before Arisa could follow up with another jibe, she was cut off. 

"Perhaps we should talk to them," Saki murmured, sounding oddly serious. "The fan club girls."

Arisa blinked at her. "What are you talking about, Hana?"

"I want to hear about Minami's date."

Even Tohru looked stunned, mouth hanging open. Yuki just appeared startled.

"You're joking, right?" Arisa said with an understanding smile, one hand on her hip. When Saki just looked at her, she let her arm fall to her side. "Tell me you're joking, Hana."

"No," Saki said in a drawn out, certain tone. "Why would I be joking?"

Before Saki could propose speaking to the Prince Yuki Fan Club again, a bit of the club's conversation drifted over to them.

"Oh, I know who you mean!" one girl squealed with sudden recognition. "He asked me out too!"

"Oh yeah," another girl said. "Short, right? Bright smile? He was cute. I talked to him at the mall on Friday."

Minami's pink blush darkened to an angry scarlet. At this rate, Arisa wondered if her face was ever going to return to its natural color. But then, it was almost an improvement. "_What_?" came Minami's outraged demand. "Did you _go_ with him?"

"No, I was too busy," said the first girl, seemingly unconcerned.

"I _never_ agree to a date the _first_ time someone asks," said the other flippantly. "Unless it was Prince Yuki, of course," she amended.

"Hey, did you hear…?"

Their voices dropped suddenly, as if they realized that others were listening in, but continued to whisper to one another. Every once and awhile, one of the girls would look toward them, and Arisa caught the names "Yuki" and "Sohma" several times. 

Arisa saw Saki glance toward Yuki as if weighing him on a scale.

Yuki seemed highly perplexed, staring at the girls as if he had never seen them before. "Excuse me," he said, and the fan girls immediately stopped making any sound, a dead silence falling across the whole hallway. "What did you just say?"

The fan club girls looked so shocked that he was speaking to them that they failed to form a coherent response for several creeping moments. Several of them were starting to match Minami's coloring.

The bell rang. 

"Um," Tohru said uncertainly, looking up at Yuki from where she stood by his shoulder. "We'll be late to class."

"Yeah," Minami said, sounding half-strangled. "We have to… I gotta go!"

She took off at a dead run, as if talking to Yuki about another boy would have put her in her in an early grave. The other girls seemed to hang in suspended animation for a few moments until, staring at Yuki like he was some sort of apparition, they bolted after her. Yuki was staring at nothing, his eyes directed inward toward some mix of questions that didn't quite materialize in his expression.

"I don't understand this," said Yuki slowly. "Why did they keep staring at me?"

"Uh," Arisa said slowly, taking measure of him with her eyes. "If you haven't noticed, Prince, they _always_ stare at you."

"Yuki?" Tohru said worriedly, turning her eyes on him.

"I know, but they were talking about me," Yuki said, narrowing his eyes. "And it was different. I'm not even sure it was just about me."

"Very suspicious," Saki murmured, and passed him by on her was to class.

Yuki still seemed concerned, but after a moment the Student Council President in him rallied and he straightened, looking into the distance as if trying to work something out. "I think I'll call Shigure," he said slowly. "I don't like this. Something is wrong."

"Yes," Saki said from up ahead. "Too much coincidence and pattern in what we have been hearing. I would be happy to call Kazuma myself." 

Arisa gave her a slightly appraising look. "Um, yeah, sure, Hana. But uh…why should we call him?"

Saki's expression remained unchanged. "He can persuade Kyo to come to school." 

"Kyo?" Tohru said worriedly.

But Saki didn't explain.

TBC

Chapter 5 will be posted this afternoon. 3.9.03


	6. The Curse Collector

9.13.03: This is the second half of my newest chapter that I uploaded today. Back up one if you went straight to the end. ^_^

Evermore

Chapter 6

By Zapenstap

"Minami," Yuki whispered, halting her briefly before entering class.

She turned jerkily, her eyes as wide as teacup saucers when she saw him standing face to face with her. "Oh, um, Yuki! H…hi."

He felt like an idiot asking, knowing it would start rumors, but he felt that it was too important not to know. "Who did you go on a date with?"

Minami looked like a balloon he had stuck a pin in. "Ee-Ah! He didn't mean _anything_ to me, Prince Yuki! I swear! I don't even know why…!"

"What was his name?" Yuki asked in a calm, quiet voice.

She was trembling as she looked at him, but she answered when he asked. "He was foreign. He said his name was Belduine." She said the name awkwardly, the sounds coming out a little confused on her tongue, but Yuki knew it, though he hid his reaction.

In an attempt to salvage the damage he may have wrought by approaching her this way, he smiled at her, though it wasn't one of his real smiles. "I think it's wonderful that you went on a date," he said. "You deserve it." He passed her as he walked into the classroom. "I hope you go on many more and find someone right for you."

He didn't wait to read her expression. He wasn't sure what she would think. Perhaps it was callous, but that was better than lies; whatever she thought or felt, he would deal with it later. As he sat down, he unconsciously sought out Tohru. His eyes strayed to where she was bent over her own desk, dark hair falling over her shoulder as she set out her materials neatly in front of her. Behind him, Yuki heard Minami fall in her seat like a sack of flour and turned his attention back to the front as the teacher called the class to order.

He had difficulty focusing on the lecture. His pen merely tapped against the edge of his notebook while the other students took notes. Normally, he might have thought of Tohru, but this past weekend had changed everything. Minami had gone on a date, but it wasn't that that interested him. She had been talking to Belduine about him, about his family. Had she volunteered the information, or had this stranger asked questions? What was happening?

He knew for certain now that this was about more than Kyo's bracelet, and whether this Belduine character was responsible for Kyo or not, Yuki was almost one hundred per cent sure that he was involved somehow. He had talked first to Tohru and then ran off when Yuki exited the ice cream shop. Had that meeting been by mistake, coincidence, or strategy? He was then rumored to be at Kagura's school, though Kagura herself had not run into him. But what if he had gone there to find her, or perhaps to spy on her? Or what if she was contrived so that she was _supposed_ to have heard rumors about him? And now Minami. Where else had Belduine been in the last few days, and what was he doing? What did he want with the Sohmas, and could he possibly know about their family curse? And if he did, how much did he know?

His day went by in a blur, and when the last bell rang, he stumbled out of his last class in a bit of a daze, buzzing with unanswered questions. For some reason he left before Tohru could even gather her things, exiting into the hallway while she was still packing her books into her bag. He didn't want her involved in this and he didn't want her to see how worried he was. He just wanted her to go home and be safe, but he couldn't make himself ask her to leave. He wanted her close too. He hated that part of him, that weak part that he couldn't quite force him to do what was best for her. Being near his family was dangerous. Getting closer to him, or any of the Sohmas, might ultimately destroy her. She should get out while she could, before this mysterious outside threat to them could also threaten her, and if not that, before Akito did. He had been withdrawing from her lately, wanting to protect her, but it was so difficult. There was so much he wanted to tell her, to open up to her about, in ways he had never opened up to anybody in his entire life…

Cutting in front of the other students, most of who made room for him, Yuki strode down the hall to the main entrance. He thought about asking Minami a few more questions about Belduine, but he didn't want to make it look like anything was suspicious, or that he was overly concerned. He didn't want to draw more attention to the matter. But what were they going to do? On the phone, Shigure had informed him that Akito's command was to bring anyone who interfered to the Main House by any means necessary. But that didn't fully answer the question. 

When Saki appeared suddenly on his left, he almost tripped over his own feet. She glided beside him like a phantom, but it wasn't until he noticed her that she turned her eyes on him. He unconsciously fortified his walls as her eyes latched onto him, sinking in like she was thumbing through his thoughts and emotions like a deck of cards. He retracted into himself, but knowing his secret as she now did, he felt vulnerable in a way he never had before. It wasn't like his desire to open up to Tohru; it was like having his privacy invaded without his consent. But then, maybe he only felt that it was like that, as there was no indication that she was doing or feeling anything behind those emotionless eyes of hers.

"What are you do…?" he began.

She put a finger to her lips and pointed. "Over there," she said.

Yuki looked to just outside the front doors of the school where a few people had gathered in a small cluster on the edge of the steps. In the center of the cluster, visible only in bouts, a boy was seated on a handrail. He wasn't any taller than the girls surrounding him, and was shorter than some of them. His legs dangled as he swung them, perched precariously with his hands in his knees yet looking to be in no danger of falling. He was chatting amiably, his smiles wide and his face expressive. 

"Today is Monday," Saki said, folding her hands in front of her as they both stopped. "We were here last on Friday."

As Yuki watched, the boy turned to glance at them briefly before turning back to his conversation. He said something to the girls and they burst into giggles, hiding grins behind their hands, but when he jumped lightly off the rail they left, still laughing. The boy strolled toward Yuki and Saki as if he had arranged to meet them. 

Processing two things at once, it took Yuki a moment to understand what Saki had said. Today--Monday--was the first time they had been back to the school since Kyo had been attacked. If Belduine knew them from this place and no other, this would be his earliest opportunity to encounter them. And here he was, walking toward him as calm and casual as if he needed to ask a question or make a suggestion to the Student Council President like another student. But had he been to the school before? On Friday? And what could he possibly want now?

"I…Who are you?" was all Yuki could think to say as the boy approached, even though he already knew the boy's name. Every nerve in Yuki's body was on end; his blood seemed sparked with electricity. His thoughts whirled like helicopter blades in his skull. He felt that any moment something was going to happen. Yuki found himself preparing for a fight, and he rarely prepared for them. 

The boy did not bow or extend his hand or do anything else but smile. "Belduine Terwhin," he said in a voice much more friendly and cheerful than Yuki expected. "That's _bell-doo-een_," he enunciated slowly. "People here seem to have a hard time saying it." He closed his mouth and shifted his gaze to Saki. "And who might you be, cupcake?" Taking in her return dead-eyed expression, he rubbed his hand apologetically behind his head. "Oh. Sorry. Those sorts of names just come out of me sometimes. Can I call you cupcake?"

Saki did not even blink. "My name is Saki Hanajima." 

"She's a psychic," Haru's voice came laconically from the school doorways.

A moment later, a steadying hand touched Yuki's shoulder and he exhaled as a little bit of tension drained out of him. Haru had come up behind him, Momiji in tow. Arisa and Tohru stood a pace or two behind, though Arisa immediately strolled up to join Saki. Tohru remained where she was, clutching her book bag and watching the scene from the sidelines, here eyes flitting from person to person with a worried crease deepening in her brow. 

"I'm afraid that term is not quite accurate," Saki intoned, seemingly unmoved from anything yet that had happened, "as my electric pulse can not foresee the future."

Belduine cocked his head to one side, eyeing Saki as a bird or small animal would check out a curiosity, when Arisa stepped around Hana and circled in behind him. "So you're the guy," she said, and punched one fist into the opposite hand as she always did whenever she was excited. "I'm Arisa Uotani. I've been waiting to meet you."

It almost seemed the Belduine smiled when he twisted his head to look at her, though he what he found amusing was unclear. It didn't play off as arrogance. It was almost a genuine reaction, as if he actually found the situation and the people involved amusing. He turned in a half circle to look at each of them, and then looked back Saki. "Can I call you my _electrical_ cupcake then?" he asked honestly, leaning slightly toward her as if petitioning. It was the first time Yuki had seen anyone not already friends with Saki show such a complete lack of fear around her.

Saki herself didn't say anything. She might have been at a loss for words.

"What's going on?" Momiji piped quietly from beside Haru. "Yuki? Who is this guy? Is this the guy that Tohru talked to?"

"Quiet down, Momiji," Yuki said softly.

But Belduine had heard and craned his neck to get a glimpse of Tohru. She caught his eyes and looked startled when his face broke out into a sudden grin. "Hello again, pretty lady," he said, waving at her with one hand. "Tohru Honda, right? Do you still have my flower?" 

Tohru turned an interesting shade of pink. "Um."

"Excuse me, but who are you?" Yuki repeated, losing his diplomacy in a sudden rush of anger coupled with his mounting tension. He did not like this guy. However friendly, he did not trust him. "And not just your name. What do you want?"

Belduine winked at Tohru and then turned to look back at the Sohmas. "Okay, okay, sorry," he said.\ and closed one eye to take them in. "You're Yuki and that's Hatsuharu and Momiji Sohma, right?"

"That's right!" Momiji exclaimed excitedly, thrusting a fist up into the hair. "You know all of our names. That's amazing! Have we met before?"

"That's _enough_, Momiji," Yuki said a bit more sharply. 

"No," Belduine answered Momiji's question, sounding conversational if anything. "I've just been hearing a lot about you. I have something important to tell your family. I've come a long way."

"It sure as hell better be good," Arisa said. "Hana will be able to tell if you're lying."

Yuki didn't know if that was true or not, but it sounded convincing. For the first time he was thankful for whatever gift Saki Hanajima had, and hoped that she really could distinguish lies from truth. He wasn't sure he believed Belduine. Something to tell them… If that was all than he was not a direct danger, but why tell them whatever it was? None of his questions had been answered and the feeling that he was in a dangerous situation had not lessened.

Belduine's demeanor changed slightly. He didn't appear intimidated by what Arisa had said, but he shifted his balance, turning his head to look at her before looking back at the rest of them. "I'm looking for fourteen specific people in your family," he said to Yuki. "I would have found you sooner, but I can't read your language, and there seems to be a great many of you spread about this area."

Momiji face was poker-like, but Haru caught Yuki's eye significantly. Fourteen specific Sohmas. Yuki could think of only one thing it could be. Someone knew. Maybe it wasn't Belduine, maybe it was someone who had sent him, but someone knew something. And Akito would not stand for it. Yuki understood this instinctively. Belduine would not walk free with such knowledge, not if he knew anything, and Akito had commanded that he be brought to the Main House.

__

This is bad, Yuki thought. _This is very bad._

Belduine continued, showing no signs of worry, exhibiting an attitude that seemed to indicate that he had no idea as to the importance of what he had just said. "I came here to warn you," he said. "Although I was hoping it wouldn't come to this, it has and I think this is the easiest way. But I don't want to talk about it here. I'll need to talk to all of you, if you can arrange that, somewhere out of public."

"What?" Arisa said, her rough-and-tough bullying dropping slightly in her confusion. She looked toward Hana for some indication. Hana was watching Belduine, listening as if merely trying to process the information. Yuki felt a chill trickle down his spine. "You've got to give us more than that," Arisa said. 

"There isn't time," Belduine said.

The front of the school was emptying now. The parking lot was deserted. Anyone who was left was inside, attending club meetings or make-up classes.

"I don't trust you," Yuki said bluntly. "We've been hearing about you for several days and no one seems to know who you are or what you're up to. What do you want with the Sohmas?"

"It's not me," Belduine said. "I'm just a messenger. _She's_ the one who wants the Curse."

Yuki's breath snagged in his throat.

"What do you know?" Haru asked, some of his white personality dissolving in a moment of sudden urgency, anger ignited from fear. "And who are you talking about?"

"The Curse," Belduine said. "I can't tell you."

"Like hell!" Haru shouted, and some of them jumped back a little as Haru's black personality emerged in a fit of anger and impatience. "I asked you a question! We know some of what you've been up to, kid, so just spill it. Stop dodging and tell me what I want to know!"

He grabbed Belduine by the shirt, forcing him back a few paces, snarling into his face. Belduine's face constricted and he struggled a little, twisting this way and that to dislodge himself from Haru's grip, but only succeeded in pulling them both backward a bit. Yuki opened his mouth to say something but then shut it again. 

"Haru," Tohru whispered.

"Stand back, Miss Honda," Yuki said. "It will be all right."

"What do you know about a beaded bracelet?" Haru demanded, shaking Belduine slightly. "Just tell me and I'll let you go."

__

No we won't, thought Yuki, but he knew better than to say anything about it.

"I don't have any bracelet," Belduine said, attempting to dislodge Haru's fingers from his collar. 

"He was there," Saki said quietly, cutting into the tension like a knife through silk. "Something he is doing now. The strange thing I sensed that afternoon…"

Yuki felt his blood boil. 

Belduine's eyes flashed dangerously. 

"Get out of the way Momiji," Yuki said. "Get Miss Honda and Miss Hanajima and Miss Uotani out of the way."

"I can take care of myself," Arisa said in a clipped voice.

"You little punk," Haru rasped. "Did you stab my friend? Did you take his charm?"

"I don't _have_ it!" Belduine said. 

"That wasn't what I asked! Did you attack Kyo? Did you take his bracelet? _Where is it_?"

Belduine's boots swung suddenly and he dropped somehow out of Haru's grasp, falling into a crouch on the ground. Haru lurched forward, clearly hit somewhere, and toppled over Belduine's compressed form. As soon as Haru hit the grass Belduine leaped to his feet and ran, but Yuki gave chase.

He caught him within a few feet, striking out swiftly to force his opponent to face him. Belduine skidded on the pavement and turned, one hand pressed to the ground, before launching himself at Yuki suddenly. Relaxed in every muscle, Yuki got the boy's fists easily, turning his punches aside. It took him only moments to comprehend that, though the kid had great reflexes and obviously knew something about fighting, he had never learned Martial Arts. 

Belduine swore when Yuki's hands connected and made contact, but he took the blows better than most opponents Yuki had faced, and seemed to pick it up fast. He was certainly quick. 

"You have to listen to me!" Belduine shouted, still on the defensive, barely avoiding a range of blows with quick dodges and twisty maneuvers rather than definite blocks. His head snaked back and forth, clearing Yuki's strikes by centimeters, and he was walking backward, ducking every so often and changing direction if Yuki used his feet. 

"We'll hear all you have to say!" Yuki shouted back, and went for a blow to the kidneys in order to quickly immobilize his opponent. 

"There's an Esper, a fairy, who collects curses," Belduine was saying. "She'll send her magicians after you. You have to break the curse! Let me speak to everyone!"

"What the hell is going on?"

Yuki caught sight of Kyo running up the walkway that led to the parking lot, those ridiculous straps on his cargo pants flapping as his feet pounded against the pavement. He skidded to halt just a few yards from them, mouth gaping. Yuki heard Momiji and Haru and Tohru all yell something different, and it was then that Yuki became aware that Belduine had somehow flipped backward in midair before a boot caught him hard in the face.

The pavement hit the back of his head and he registered with vague shock that he fallen. The lights blackened momentarily and panic overtook him as the memory of being hurt and trapped in a dark place overwhelmed his senses. Then the lights cleared and he felt only a dull, throbbing pain in his head as clouds swirled chaotically in his vision. Voices registered more slowly as he struggled to sit up. He felt hands cradling his head and rolled his eyes up to see Haru kneeling beside him, but only long enough to note that Haru wasn't looking at him.

Dizzily following the eyesight of his cousin, he saw Kyo's shocked face and disbelieving eyes dart between him and Belduine right before his expression contorted into an anger so deep it twisted his very features. It was an expression that seemed to take hold of him in slow motion, and it was a moment before Yuki realized that what he was actually seeing was Kyo transforming again, one hand wrapped around the wrist where he had once worn his bracelet as if in pain.

"It was him," he head Saki's voice echoing in a calm.

And then he saw Belduine, both feet planted firmly on the ground, leaning slightly forward on his toes exactly where he had been before Yuki was knocked down. The kid watched the transformation without moving; his eyes focused on Kyo as he heaved in air, his mouth slightly parted. When the transformation was complete and an ugly, stinking monster crouched where Kyo once had been, there was a moment of frozen silence from everyone. Yuki swallowed and tried to speak, but the instant was not long enough to say anything. A moment only and Kyo had gone, fleeing the scene at a dead run, and springing forward from the balls of his feet, Belduine tore after him. 

TBC

Thank you for reading!!!! To all the people who have read this, THANK YOU. You are very much appreciated! It really makes my day to see someone come back and encourage me to keep going. Thank you all very very much. Please leave a review!

THANK YOUS:

RobertRomi: Even though you haven't reviewed, thanks for IM-ing me! I don't have a record of what was said so I can't be more specific, but knowing you have read this far is encouraging! Thank you! ^_^

Author15: I actually can't remember your SN exactly, but I think it was something like this. Anyway, I'm sorry I told you I would update sooner. Please forgive me! I tried to hurry and write for you. It was just really difficult. I don't know if you will review or not, but thank you for reading me story!

GrrlN: Akito shows a little bit of a different face in this chapter, but I hope people still think he's IC. I'm glad you liked my depiction of Rin in chapter 4. Writing Kureno was really hard. I have only a small idea what he's like. Anyway, thank you for reading my story! I hope you come back to review these last 2 chapters!

Kyra Rivers: Can you pronounce Belduine's name now? I incorporated how to say it into the story just for you ^_^. I hope my reputation as a punctual updater hasn't slid too far. I really want everyone to keep reading. I really enjoy your reviews a lot! The pacing in this last chapter was really tricky. It was harder to write, though I'm not sure why. I hope it reads as I imagine it to. At any rate, thank you very much for your wonderful reviews. I really love them. I hope you come back.

Rinoa: Ah, a FF8 fan. Good choice. I like Haru too. I hope you come back!

DarkAngelB: Minami won't be in the story much more, but I hope you liked some of the other things I'm building up towards! I would tell you more, but I really don't want to spoil it!!! ^_~

Flirting With Incoherence: So you think Belduine is a stalker, huh? You'll get to know a bit more about him later. I hope you liked these last two chapters, though maybe not. They were hard to write. Anyway, I really appreciate your reviews, for ALL of my stories. It means so very much to me; I can hardly express. 

SAL-chan: Card Captor arc!!! I haven't seen it all yet. Can you burn it and mail it to me? ^_~ Your reviews are always really cute. I don't want to spoil anything about Akito or Belduine, though. I hope you come back to read!

The Infamous Chibi Cat: Hee hee. Akito is a little different in this chapter, but I'm trying to keep his character consistent with the way I see him. And I know I'm being rough on Kyo, but this isn't going to be an altogether "waffy" story so some angst and drama is necessary. ^_^ And Ritsu will also be included.

R Junkie: It's supposed to be a little bit confusing. It would sound cheesy if I just came out and said what was going on. Also, about Kagura, you're right she IS 2 years older than the others and she's in college or something now, but that's still a school right? I call it school anyway…

Joanne: thanks. Please come back.

Caiti: You need to see the rest of the episodes!! I don't want to be responsible for spoilers and it is SUCH a good series. I ended up just buying the whole thing. But anyway, thank you so SO much for your long, quality review. It makes me feel so good to hear the ways in which someone likes me story or my writing. Thank you for making my day brighter. I really appreciate it and I hope that you come back!

Mike: Some lengthy words in there, but you're a good friend. Thank you! I highly recommend the series still, but in the meantime I will not protest if anyone wants to R/R my fic!

Mizaya: Belduine? Sell Minami into slavery?!?! That is SO funny. It might be funnier to you when you read more of the story. I'm sorry I haven't caught up on your stories yet. I really want to read them, but I'm SO exhausted and busy. I will get to them as soon as I can, you have to believe me! And I want to hang out with you too, so you know, when all this craziness is over, expect a call!

Rivulet: I feel completely unworthy of your wonderful reviews. I feel like I ought to just shut up and post and stop grubbing for them. They make me so happy I must be doing something illegal. But anyway, thank you very very much for your compliments on my characterization. That makes me feel really good because I try hard to keep the story IC and flowing well. If I fail, be sure to tell me. Anyway, your reviews are wonderful, way more than I deserve. Thank you very much.

Yokochan: Thank you! Those are great things to hear. I hope I keep doing them. And I also hope you come back and keep reading. Hopefully the story will be worth it, but you'll have to let me know!

Lady Kara: You are dependable and I appreciate it ^_^. Thank you for reviewing so frequently. It means a lot to me as an author, knowing that some readers judge a story based on its reviews. I like the things you have to say too. As for yaoijanai.com, I've known about it, but I just haven't posted my GW stuff there; I don't know why. But when your FB fic is done I will certainly read it! 

The Great Thing: Oh, you DID come back to review for me! I was nervous for a bit, but you DID come back. Thank you very much. I'm really happy, even if ff.net DID eat your review. I can only mourn that quietly. Are you sure FB is coming out in October? I heard February. As for Saki and Kazuma, hmm, I don't know so much about a pairing, but you'll have to wait and see. There will definitely be something with Kureno and Arisa though! Thank you very much for reading!!! I REALLY hope you come back!

Sakura Avalon/Kinomoto: For Yukiru, you'll have to just read and find out. I did enjoy your story, though, and I hope you like mine. Thank you for reviewing. I really appreciate it. I hope you return!


	7. Cornered

At long last…. Ready. Set. Go!

Evermore 

Chapter 7 

By Zapenstap

The stitching in Kyo's side pulled at the flesh, tearing the skin, blood threatening to spill again from the healing wound. But the pain was minimal, a welcome blur of sensation beside the painful white roar of images that flashed through his head and smote his heart with sickening nausea. The sight of Yuki fighting that boy--a small, slender kid with a youthful face and quick movements, a stranger whose boots Kyo recognized suddenly from when they had crushed his throat, silencing him when he lay flat on his back and bleeding--had stirred an anger in Kyo so deep he felt his very soul blackening. And he saw Yuki, that arrogant bastard with his pathetic problems, moving so fluidly, so beautifully and effortlessly, so impossibly perfect and undeniably admirable so as to make a fight look like a dance. And then Yuki was unexpectedly struck down, that familiar boot connecting with that flawless face so that Yuki flew backward, the back of his head striking the earth with a heart-stopping thud. And Kyo had been horrified to feel only fear at first, a clench in his heart and a shiver in his arms, a fear for that _rat_, that (as the others moved in to help) was replaced by seething anger. 

Yuki had been defeated for the first time, not by Kyo, but by some boy who by the look of it had never even learned martial arts. Nobody gave a damn about the cat.

Impossible. Unbelievable. Humiliating. Something in Kyo had snapped, a lurch of raging, hating emotion bursting from his heart so that the monster lurking inside him clawed its way to the surface. His wrist had burned. The hate he felt for Yuki turned on himself, was buoyed up by shame, but before he could catch the damning expression in anyone else's eyes, he fled. If he had stayed he would have killed. 

The crunch of rock under claws resounded in Kyo's changed, dropping ears. His mind and soul looked out through slit-like cat eyes and a maw of ragged sharp teeth. He could still feel his heart beating, his blood pumping, his thoughts churning, but it was under a tough, green skin and jutting bones. And it was no illusion. This was his body. He was a monster. In reality, he was a monster. The truth, that undeniable truth, made everything so heart-wrenchingly obvious. The human skin he wore for some of the time, with the help of a blasted charm, was a cover of this true shape, this repulsive, appalling shape that his own mother feared and loathed. It was this shape that had killed his mother, this shape that had driven his father to hate and forsake him, this shape that had ostracized him from every member of his family; it was this shape that cast him completely from the human race. How could he compete with the rat? Why _should_ anyone give a damn about him? How could he think to prove himself now? He was a monster. How could he continue to hope for anything, for grace, for mercy, for acceptance? From anyone, for any reason…? Oh god…Tohru… It was so wrong to love her.

He ran with the force of a battering ram, charging recklessly through alleys nestled behind buildings, keeping to the shadows, away from the streets, looking for some place to rest, some dark cave where he could cry and rage alone, some secluded, safe place out of the sight of people. A moan of despair shook through him and he stumbled.

Akito was right. However malicious and cruel and for whatever twisted joy he took in it, he was right. Kyo was a monster and he could never hope to enter society, much less win a seat at God's table, even if those gathered, including god himself, were equally cursed. He was a monster. He was born a monster and he would be a monster until his death. He had to accept it. He had to come to terms with his fate. The cage was the only thing for him.

He hated himself. He hated himself and loved himself enough to wish it could be different, and he hated that love of himself even more, that weakness. He wished sometimes that he could stop loving, stop caring, stop hoping, stop worrying about what others thought of him, stop wishing to be part of a family that was ashamed and horrified by his existence. They all felt that way. He had always known it, always felt it. The outer Sohma members, and Yuki of course, but Haru and Momiji and Shigure too. Everyone. He had seen their faces, their reactions. They were all afraid of him and they all pretended that they were not, that there was nothing to be afraid of, or even to take note of. They ignored him, and tried to bring him down by insulting him and ridiculing him and reminding him of what he really was by pretending that no such thing existed. Why did he care so much? If this was how it had to be, he wished that he could cast them off, smite those smirks off their faces, become a complete monster since he could never be completely human. If he could not be loved, he wished to at least be feared. This half-life of living on the verge of sociable companionship, of being allowed some things and denied others, of living and feeling like he was always alone, always under the labeling of those he _had_ to depend on, struggling always to prove to everyone, to anyone, that he was not what they thought him to be, that he was not a monster through and through… He hated it! 

Pebbles scattered behind him as boots drove into the gravel from somewhere close. "Wait!" 

He was being followed.

Kyo sprung swiftly from the ground and clambered up onto the roof of a rusty metal shed tucked out of sight behind a house. He crouched on the apex, his claws digging into the roof panels, and sat still like a gargoyle at the edge. He shrank into himself, his head hiding close to his shoulders as he peered around at the way he had come, scanning the ground for signs of pursuit. Only empty boxes and bags of trash and dumpsters met his gaze, the garbage people hid in the alleys they did not consider part of their civilized world. Like himself.

The sound of the panels being jostled beneath his feet alerted Kyo to the weight of another person leaping on the other end of the roof behind him. Kyo's eyes burned a baleful gold as he snarled, showing row upon row of ugly, sharp teeth as he turned his wedge-shaped head to grimace over his shoulder at the figure standing but ten feet away. The rest of him followed and he straightened onto his legs, standing tall and erect, thankfully still hidden from the main street by the towering roof of a rather large house. The talons on his toes scraped the metal of the roof beneath him as he turned to face his visitor.

It was not Yuki or Tohru or anyone else that he might have expected. His whole body seemed choked with hate and rage as he stared at the image of his attacker, a shrimp of a kid with wide, bright eyes, his mouth slightly parted and his hands suspended away from his body in either a gesture of appeal or as a means of balance. It was the stranger, and it was the same one he knew. Kyo was sure now. He recognized the boots all to well. It was this…_kid_…who had stabbed him. Kyo's side ached and it was an effort not to crumple with the pain that practically overwhelmed him when he was reminded of it. 

"_You_," he said, with more hate boiling under his tone than he had ever shown even to Yuki, the part of him that lurked deep in his heart.

"Hey. Easy," Belduine answered soothingly, and by the way he moved so easily, taking two sauntering steps forward, he was not holding out his hands for balance. He was trying to calm Kyo. His eyes remained on Kyo's face, watching him closely, intent on every movement, every detail. "Kyo, right? Look, I'm sorry about this. Just try and relax..."

Kyo snarled in response. Relax! But for a moment he was baffled. The kid did not appear to be talking to a monster that towered over him, claws and teeth bared for killing. He was still walking toward him, inching along the apex of the shed, hands outstretched, and appearing to have no trouble with his balance. He looked wary, but not scared. His eyes blinked normally and his expression seemed to be more wrapped in thought than fear. But then, this was a person, a kid, who had stabbed another in cold blood. How would such a person be expected to react to anything? Kyo was used to people pretending not to be afraid of him, but not in this form. In this form, everyone was always terrified. He was okay with that. He knew what he looked like, what he really was. Of course he would be hated and feared…

"Stop thinking," Belduine whispered. "You're making it worse."

Kyo straightened stiffly, taking a step back. "What would _you_ know about it?" he shouted angrily. Belduine opened his mouth and took another step forward, walking on the roof as sure-footedly as if it were flat ground. Kyo reared back defensively, afraid of this person who was not afraid of him. "Stop! Don't come any closer! I…I only want to know one thing. My bracelet. Where is it?" He was ashamed that he could not hide the desperation in his voice.

Belduine stopped moving, adjusting his balance by shifting his feet, and a look of consternation stole across his face. "I…I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't understand clearly that this would happen. I should have realized."

"Where _is_ it?" Kyo demanded. If he could recover the bracelet...even at the expense of this boy… It _was_ him—Kyo was sure of it—who had stabbed him three days ago. It was because of this kid that Kyo could never return to the life he had known. Because of this person, he would almost be happy to go to the cage Akito had prepared for him. Unless the bracelet…

"I don't have it anymore," Belduine said. "It's true that I took it from you, but I…"

Kyo snarled, but it was half a moan. The wound in his side ached with a fiery pain and he hunched over it, clutching at his side.

Belduine stepped back a pace, moving smoothly as if dancing. He spoke softly. "Look, I'm sorry for what I did, stabbing you, I mean. I had to do it. I was ordered to. I swear I was told that it was best, that you had to be distracted beyond any emotion to avoid a permanent transformation. The bracelet isn't important, but your psyche's attachment to it is." 

"Just tell me _where_ _it_ _is_!"

"The Esper has it," Belduine said, sounding resigned on this point. "I was told that she would be satisfied with something like that, that she wouldn't come after your family if she was given _something_, but we misjudged her. So she has your bracelet now. I gave it to her personally. But really, this isn't what's important. If you would calm down and listen to me…"

Kyo swung an arm. Not _important_? He couldn't stand those eyes on him, the eyes of his enemy watching him so intently, eyes that would dare to stare at him in this shape so openly and speak so plainly. He meant to knock Belduine from the shed, send him to the ground and escape while he recovered, but Belduine predicted his movement and flipped backward as he had done while fighting Yuki, his boots kicking over his head like it was very easy to do. He landed lightly on his feet, still on the shed a few paces away, half in a couch, but now his eyes were a little wide, and the strain in his tone might have been either desperation or anger. 

"Damn it! I said I was _sorry_! Just listen a moment! I'm not afraid of you, so don't look at me like that. I'm trying to help you. You need to control your emotions. Just let go of whatever it is you hate and you should change back." 

Kyo's breathing came in ragged gasps. Who is this guy? He found himself listening in spite of himself.

"Look, I can't take you back to the others like this," Belduine said. "There isn't time to argue about it, so just listen to me. The shape you have now is a corporeal manifestation of an age-old vengeance that has infected the spirit of the Cat since the beginning of your curse. Whatever you've been told, it's really just an enchantment triggered by hate. If you can control those emotions you can control the enchantment. You don't need the bracelet. If I understand it correctly, the bracelet just absorbs the potency of those feelings. So get over it. There are things happening right now that are more important than this. You are all in terrible danger. It's very important that I speak to all of you immediately. We don't have time to…" 

"Just stop hating?" Kyo said in disbelief. "Just stop… Who the hell do you think you are? What would you know about it?"

Belduine straightened. He didn't seem to be phased by this explosive demand. "Just relax," he said, blinking and watching Kyo with a straight expression. After a moment of silence, he snapped his fingers and said with a bright smile. "Hey, I know! Tell me about Tohru."

Kyo was so caught off guard that he blinked, almost losing his balance on the roof. "Tohru…" he muttered. "What do you know about Tohru?" He found himself yelling and didn't question why. "She… She's none of your concern!"

"I like her," Belduine said off-handedly. "She's interesting, and she was _very_ nice to me. Is she nice to you?"

"Wha…? What do you mean by _nice_?!?!" 

Belduine grinned. "I mean she's polite. She seemed really sweet too, though kinda naïve. But that's okay. I like innocent girls."

Kyo's eyes threatened to pop out of his head.

"Do you like her?" Belduine continued. "Is she yours? Or Yuki's? Is she available? I couldn't decide. It all seemed very confused."

Kyo's usual anger, which was more like explosive exasperation than anything else, took control and boiled until his face turned red with it. He stomped his food against the tiles, bristling with indignation, and pointed a finger at Belduine accusingly. "_You_ leave her alone!"

"All right," he said simply. "If she's yours, I will. Is she yours?"

Kyo failed to make a response, merely gaping at this foreign idiot with conflicting emotions rollicking around in his gut. He couldn't think of a damned thing to say in either his defense or Tohru's. It would be stupid to say that he loved her more than anything else in the world, that she made the world a bright place in ways it hadn't ever been before. He couldn't explain that he couldn't make himself leave her alone even though it might be best for her, simply because he needed her so much. He couldn't even make himself say they she deserved better. And he sure as hell wasn't going to talk about Yuki!

And then he saw her in the flesh, running up the alleyway, still in her school shoes and uniform with her hair streaming behind her. Forgetting Belduine, Kyo reached out a hand to halt her and opened his mouth to tell her to turn back, when he realized that his hands were human again, that his body was his own, and he couldn't for the life of him remember when it had happened or how.

"Oh hey, pretty lady," Belduine said with a wave and a smile. He sat down on the roof, swinging his legs in front of him, and slid down to the edge so that he was just a few feet above her, though he didn't jump off. "We were just talking about you."

Tohru was breathing hard, staring between Belduine and Kyo with wide, blinking eyes. "Kyo…" she said, clutching a fist to her chest as she looked up at him. The expression in her eyes made Kyo reel his head back and swallow. He flushed unconsciously, but trying to ignore the heat in his cheeks, he shoved his hands in his pockets and tried to retain a straight face. 

"I'm okay," he said gruffly, and had to look away when her eyes shimmered with emotional relief. 

Turning his back to her, Kyo walked down the opposite slope of the roof, away from her eyes, and climbed down to the ground where no one could see him. Standing alone in the shadows, he put a hand to his face, amazed that he was so emotional about…something; he wasn't even sure what. 

Sudden shouting and a string of curses brought Kyo's attention around and he ran out from behind the shed just in time to see Yuki and Haru tackling Belduine together, trying to subdue him with outright aggressive force. It was Belduine who had cursed, pulling out their grasp and knocking at them with elbows and feet. Tohru leaped back, both hands pressed to her mouth, as Arisa, Hana and Momiji came tearing around the corner, forming a circle around the fray. Belduine struggled and shouted in the middle, aiming kicks and punches mostly at Yuki, who avoided them with cool evasions. Kyo was tempted to laugh with fiendish delight when he took note of the pretty black bruise marring Yuki's cheekbone. 

Until Tohru screamed a warning.

"Don't touch me!" Belduine snarled viciously.

Eyes narrowed dangerously, Belduine shouldered Haru aside and from out of nowhere produced a knife, a black-handled, five-inch blade with a small hilt almost like a dagger. He flipped it into his hand, his fingers dancing over the hilt, and tucked the smooth side of the blade against the outside of his forearm so that the sharp edge faced his opponents along the wrist. He used it like a battering ram and Yuki gasped, pulling swiftly backward and simultaneously shoving Haru out of the way. Belduine broke free of them both, turning the knife again on nimble fingers so that the blade jutted up from his fist, and faced the pair of them. 

"I don't want to fight either of you," Belduine said, breathing deeply. "I don't fight for fun. I came to help you. We don't have time…"

"You wanted to go to the Main House, didn't you?"

Kyo gasped in surprise as his Master stepped into the circle, approaching the scene from behind. Yuki and Haru also stared at him with wide eyes, stepping back and lowering their defenses as Belduine whirled. 

"Watch out, master!" Kyo warned.

But Belduine moved too slowly. Kazuma deflected a punch, caught the boy's other wrist and twisted his arm sharply. Belduine let out a squeal of pain, rising up on his toes and dropping the knife to the ground with a clatter before he was turned and caught securely in Kazuma's grip, both hands pinned behind his back and feet kicking.

"It seems you have something to tell the Sohmas," Kazuma said in a voice that was neither angry nor menacing, but calm and controlled and almost kind. "It seems you know a great deal more than you should. Akito has asked that you be brought to him, so I will respect his wishes and take you to the Main House. Unfortunately, we will be forced to contain you until he has time to see you. I regret this incident, but I can not have this kind of dangerous behavior directed toward my students and family members. I am sure you understand." 

Belduine continued to kick. "Let go of me! I wasn't really going to hurt anybody!" He twisted in Kazuma's hold, trying to pull out of his grasp. "They can't find me here! They can't find me here!Let me go! "

"Well," Kazuma said. "At least your Japanese is fluent. It does not appear that communication will be a problem."

"I'm speaking Japanese?" Belduine said incredulously. There was a pause before he kicked again furiously, fighting so hard that Kazuma struggled to hold onto him. His twisting became so wild that with a grimace, Kazuma hit him sharply against the side of his head with the flat side of his hand. Stunned, Belduine's movement's stilled, his eyes fluttering closed before he slumped into unconsciousness, falling softly limp in Kazuma's arms.

"Was…was that really necessary?" Tohru asked, slowly pulling her hand down from her mouth. "He seemed so nice…"

Yuki and Kyo both looked at her, taking one step toward her until they each caught the other's movements and froze, glaring at one another in a silent challenge. 

"He did pull a knife on the Prince, Tohru," Arisa said. "I think it was necessary. Are we going to this Main House now or what?" 

Kazuma sighed. "Yes. Some of us are at least. I am glad now I decided to come up here today. Persuading Kyo to come…Did you find out what you needed, Miss Hanajima?"

Saki, standing unnoticed beside Momiji, folded her hands over her school uniform. "It is the same boy. The one who was watching us that day, the one who felt so strange to me. I believe there is something about him that isn't…natural."

Yuki glanced at Belduine, slumped against Kazuma and looking utterly harmless. Kyo looked at him too, the dark hair falling over a face that was seemed so young and innocent. But the knife on the ground gave him the shivers. Just from looking at it, he knew it for the one that had sliced so expertly into his body. He remembered the pain and the blood and unconsciously put a hand to his side. "He was the one who stabbed me on Friday," he informed the others, surprised that his voice was so calm when he felt so cold. "I'm sure of it. I'm not sure what he wants, but he said some strange things."

"How did you change back, Kyo?" Kazuma asked.

Kyo didn't answer. That was his business. The kid had said that if he could stop hating… He continued to look at Belduine, wondering what was going on, what this kid's true purpose was. What did he want from them that he would bother to warn them of some mysterious danger that was after them? What was in it for him? Kyo found himself feeling unsure and uneasy, not knowing what to believe, but the secret of the curse had to be protected, and they had to carry out Akito's wishes. They would take him to the Main House. Maybe that was even what Belduine had wanted, though perhaps not in this fashion. 

Kyo looked up and around at the others, noting that most of them avoided looking at him. Yuki seemed especially oblivious to his existence, and even Momiji's gaze darted away, though he looked sad. Of course. Kyo was still a monster underneath and they all knew it. Only Kazuma and Tohru were watching him with even, almost sympathetic faces.

"Tohru," Kyo whispered, not daring to catch her eye. "You should stay out of this."

Tohru blinked. "Huh?"

"Don't go to the Main House," he said. "Stay at home. Stay in your room, or go out with your friends. Don't… don't get involved."

"But I want to help," she whispered. 

"I think Kyo might be right, Miss Honda," Yuki said slowly, turning his head toward her, and Kyo was too lost in thought to bristle at Yuki agreeing with him. It didn't matter as long as she was safe. 

"Actually, Kyo, you can take her back to Shigure's, if you like," Kazuma said. "It might be better."

"I guess," Kyo said, and tried to smother his irritation. 

He wasn't invited. Not everybody would be at the Main House, but either way he wasn't invited. Kazuma thought such things were stupid, Kyo knew he did, but there was no sense in blatantly defying the custom now and upsetting things unnecessarily. This was too important. And besides, he'd rather accompany Tohru. At least Yuki didn't look as pleased by this arrangement.

"We'll go with you too," Arisa volunteered for herself and Saki. 

"Good idea," Kazuma said. "I will feel better if Miss Hanajima is with you, Tohru, and you too, Kyo." 

Kyo and Tohru both flushed and Saki seemed astonished, staring at Kazuma with some emotion that Kyo could not decipher, almost like she was gratified, or pleased or even embarrassed beneath her surprise. Slowly, a flush crept into her cheeks too, though she quickly turned her face away.

"I suppose we had better get going," Kazuma said, and lifted Belduine into his arms like a sleeping child. As he headed back to the school, Yuki, Haru and Momiji fell on his heels, silent in their attendance.

Kyo waited a moment, watching them go, and then picked up the knife that had been left in the dirt. The blade was engraved with runes, strange twisting figures that covered the length of it. He tucked it unceremoniously in his belt and looked up at who was left. Arisa and Saki were looking in his direction, though their thoughts seemed to be turned inward. Tohru stood as she had before, looking so lost and scared and worried that it made him mad.

"Come on, you," Kyo said gruffly, and grasped her wrist to pull her along. She had been staring after the retreating form of the others, but she turned back when he touched her, staring at him with a slightly parted mouth. Worry warred with trust in her eyes, and underlying it all was an emotion he was almost afraid to name. 

"Um. Okay," she whispered, and he blushed again, turning his head away so that she wouldn't see.

*****

Shigure leaned back in his chair, trying not to look or feel like he had been set here as a guard dog on Aktio's orders. It was an effort not to glance at the closed door behind him and wonder if that kid was still lying in there unconscious. Kazuma hadn't seemed very happy to bring him here in such a state. He had told Akito flat out that it would probably have been wiser to simply let the boy say what he had come to say on his own terms and then erase his memory afterwards if it was necessary. In response, Akito had snidely thanked him for his help and then told him to mind his own business and stay out of the affairs of the cursed unless he was called upon. Shigure kept his silence, but he was concerned to see that Akito seemed pleased that the boy was brought in as limp as a rag doll.

Yuki stood near the far wall with his arms crossed and his shoulders hunched, his profile barely visible as he stared down at the ground. Shigure watched him with concern. He could tell that he was uncomfortable, and it was no wonder. Belduine had been locked in the same room that Yuki used to be beaten and abandoned in when he was just a child. Shigure tried not to think much on those days. He hadn't been much more than a kid himself then, and for all his recent efforts, he really didn't feel much more in control now, but what had been done to Yuki, and the way he had ignored it like everyone else, had never sat right with him. It didn't set right with anybody, but Akito had always done whatever he pleased, always pushing the boundaries, and they always gave way, every last one of them, every single time. It was part of the problem. And it was unfortunate, in so many ways, like so many other things. Just how was one supposed to treat a man who was also a god, and yet acted more like monster with the mental stability of a child?

"Relax, Yuki," he said in as cheerful and bright a tone as he could manage. They all needed optimism. "I know this place makes you nervous, but we've nothing to worry about for now."

"Did he do it on purpose?" Yuki whispered unexpectedly. "Asking me to stand here with you, by that room? I still…" He fell silent. Yuki never could talk about that room, not even with Tohru. And out of respect, none of them who knew ever mentioned it. Maybe it was out of fear too.

Watching Yuki, Shigure couldn't help but wrack his brain again for a solution to this mess. As one of the older ones, Shigure's perspective on his family's discord was wider, and as a writer whose gift it was to understand people, he could see more of it. Akito was younger than he was and Shigure was one of the few who knew him well enough to realize that their god was more fragile than any of them. He was never entirely sure if he was more afraid of Akito breaking one of the Twelve or one of the Twelve breaking Akito. It was a pretty puzzle. But it was not something that was easy to understand or explain, especially to those suffering for it. Akito had never learned right and wrong, had never had any discipline or social instruction or had any parenting at all. When his parents were told their child was the Cursed God of the whole family, they abandoned him to it. Akito's relationships growing up were fragmented. He was a ward of the Sohma clan but he was treated like an emperor even as a child, over indulged and over revered. He could not be punished or corrected or taught by anyone. He could not even be held or touched or played with, because such 'human' interaction was considered disrespectful.

"Try not to think about it, Yuki," he advised. "Remember that it wasn't your presence he asked for today." He only wished it was so easy.

Yuki did not look soothed. Despite a cool exterior, he seemed agitated. Shigure watched him circumspectly.

Akito had learned early on that the Twelve alone were his to command as he wished, and indeed, they were his only playthings. He asserted his power over the younger ones like Yuki, venting his frustration out on them, and he clung to the older ones, seeking scraps of affection and indulgence when he was not proving his dominance. Shigure remembered even now the way Akito had raged and demanded and ordered them in a confusing string of contradictions, demanding their closeness and insulting their presence in the same breath. Shigure hadn't understood at the time. He was only starting to understand now. The deep-seated patterns and habits and traditions of the Sohma family curse had instilled in all of them a fear and reverence for Akito since birth, but Akito's life was painful and lonely beyond their understanding; he inflicted his misery on others because he knew nothing else. Lacking parents, friends, peers, and teachers, Akito didn't understand so many simple things. He hurt for affection and he needed discipline, but he would accept neither because he hated pity. His touch was creepy and invasive and the twisty, tangled darkness of his closeted mind sickened the soul. After all these years, it was impossible to deal with him now. He had no control over his emotions and not a shred of resilience. He didn't know how to take a rebuke or a correction or even a joke. And there was the sickness too, that convenient and constant illness that frightened them when Akito's hot tempers and icy silences didn't. They were all indebted to Akito and he knew it. 

So what to do about it? Shigure pitied, feared, loathed and loved Akito in turns, but even he didn't really know what to do about him. He could only hope and guess and experiment, though to do so was dangerous. He felt he understood the nature of the curse, perhaps better than the others, and he even thought he saw a way to end their suffering, but it was so risky and it depended on such minute details that his hope was fragile at times. And Akito's temperament and feelings were perhaps the greatest milestone, a barrier like a ten-inch thick wall. Depression, misery, anger, fear, shame, silence and guilt ruled all their lives. Compassion was what he felt the Sohmas could use, himself included. Tohru Honda was a blessing sent straight from heaven in that respect, but if Akito could not be moved, was the rest of his hope in vain?

And now there was this kid, this Belduine stranger, who seemed to know of their curse and had repeatedly attacked and threatened them. What this kid might have to say worried Shigure. Anyone who threatened the Sohmas was going to catch Akito's wrath in the worst way. Akito was very jealous of his pets, so jealous that he hated Tohru simply for stealing away their attention. Shigure worried about Tohru, but right now he worried more about this kid. Akito was unpredictable, but it was almost certain that Hatori's services would be called upon. But suppose this kid, whoever he was, was right? What if what he had told Yuki was true and they were in some kind of danger? What would Akito do then? What would happen to Akito if something happened to them? It wasn't something Shigure had really considered before, but he feared any possible outcome of this meeting. It seemed to him that there were no lucky hands that might be dealt this day. 

Yuki had put a hand to his head as if it ached. His eyes strayed again to the door, his features tight with strain. "Being locked in there as I was…" he began.

"Oh, I'm okay."

Shigure turned, blinking over his shoulder at the door from behind which the sound had come. Apparently their guest had awoken and was listening.

"It's actually one of the nicest prisons I've been in," Belduine's voice continued, muffled a little by the door. "It's got real floors and everything. Kinda dark, though."

"Have you been in lots of prisons?" Shigure asked mildly, amused in spite of himself.

"A couple," Belduine admitted. 

"For assault?" Yuki said darkly, arms hanging loose at his sides as he faced the closed doors. "Or murder?"

"Nah. Not really, your Highness." Belduine replied. "I'm actually a thief, not a killer. But sometimes my luck is bad."

"Your Highness?" Shigure asked, raising his eyebrows at Yuki.

"Oh, is that not right? Is that not Yuki out there? Minami told me he was a Prince."

Shigure stifled a chuckle. "I see. It actually is Yuki."

"Anybody else out there?" Belduine asked. "Haru and Momiji? Or Kyo?"

"Haru and Momiji are with Akito right now," Shigure said. "As is Hatori. Kyo didn't come. He is at home with Tohru."

"Oh. Where's everyone else?"

Shigure wondered if the kid was grilling him for information, but he saw no reason not to tell him, as his memory was sure to be erased. Besides, he was curious. Perhaps he could jog something loose. He would need information if he was to be able to plan. "Ayame and Ritsu are absent, but everyone else is accounted for somewhere in the compound," he said calmly.

Belduine was quiet for a moment. "What are you going to do with me?" he asked.

"That is for Akito to decide," Shigure said promptly, and then leaned in with a disarming smile, "but, um, tell me…"

"Shigure," Yuki broke in suddenly, and pointed.

Shigure looked to see Kureno standing in the hallway. The man beckoned them silently, not quite meeting their eyes. Shigure frowned at him and then turned back to the doorway. "Well. It seems we are summoned."

"Oh good," Belduine said. "That saves me some trouble."

Shigure didn't ask him what he meant, but he couldn't help but wonder. He leaned back and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. They would have to continue their conversation on the way.

"Of course," Belduine added suddenly as Shigure moved to unlock the door. "By this time it's probably already too late."

TBC

Wow. This story is taking longer to write than I first thought! Does this happen to other people? Only half the stuff I think I can get done in one chapter actually gets done, but oh well; as long as the story is of decent quality and people are still reading it, I'll keep writing ^_^. 

Of course, my thanks go out again to my reviewers. I feel like I know you all pretty well and you are all _amazing _for reviewing so consistently. My dream is to be an author, so by reviewing you're encouraging my dream. If I _haven't_ mentioned your name then I probably have no idea you're reading my story! I can only guess that I'm writing for about ten people (and you are all wonderful!) but if others are reading also, I would sure like to know about it! ^_^ I'm writing this for free after all, though one day I would like to publish original works, so if you're reading, please take a moment to write a review. It actually will produce better and faster chapters. It's an incentive to write for other people, you see, and the more people, the more incentive! I'm not sure I deserve your reviews, of course, but I do really appreciate them. Nothing makes me happier than feedback from readers on a chapter I just posted. It's very inspiring. Honestly. 

However, unless really inspired, updates are going to slow down a little bit. *wince* I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm in school again and I'm one of those studious types so that's going to take up a lot of my time. I'm still going to try and continue to update every two weeks or so, (which is actually every week b/c I'm alternating writing chapters for two different stories). It's actually pretty ambitious of me, but I enjoy this story and it's going to (hopefully) get exciting real fast (if it isn't already. I honestly don't know). Anyway, I just wanted to let everyone know what was going on. 

Please keep reading!

And now to my lovely reviewers:

Mizaya: My devoted friend and fan, you are the only person who reviewed chapter five separately! It's funny because even though 5 and 6 are sorta one chapter, the reviews-to-chapters ratio took a fateful plunge by splitting it. So I just wanted to thank you for reviewing every chapter and not just the last one you read. It makes my heart sing to see such devotion. And about my 'house stuff,' you know, it kind of _is_ like a cult. I mean, there _are_ candles and rituals and stuff… Okay, so not exactly, but whatever. I like the discretion that comes of mystery, okay!? As for Akito being needy…I hope that's better explained. After some thinking, I thought it might be better just to write out the take on Akito's history that I have invented for this story so the things that are going to happen later will make more sense. As for that fight scene being like Mat with the Gholem in Ebou Dar…hey, that's a great RJ scene, so um, thanks! You are amazing as always.

Flirting with Incoherence: It's a toss up between Yuki and Kyo for me. Keep me posted on which one you're rooting for, because I honestly like both of them equally. I've written a Kyoru, but it's such an uncertain thing I can see this story going either way! There was a lot of Kyo in this chapter though. I hope you liked it! ^_^

Kyra Rivers: Black Haru was fun. I'm glad you liked that part b.c I was afraid it didn't flow very well. Momiji hasn't done much yet, and there are more characters in general to work into the story, but everyone will have a moment of glory at some point! I love that half-German brat too! ^_^ As for Belduine, I don't expect everyone to like him so it's good to see a reader not afraid to admit that they don't trust him right away. I wouldn't trust him either… However, I do hope you can like him as a character if not as a person as the story progresses, I mean, as far as being multi-dimensional and how shall we say, "possible"? Granted, this is fantasy… But anyway, enough of that. Thanks for the review and I definitely hope you return!

GrrlN: Ah, as I was telling Kyra, not being sure of Belduine might be a good thing! There's lots more to say about him, but my main concern is that you are interested in learning more, whatever kind of person he ends up being (and whether or not you could like such a person). Having interesting, not necessarily likable, characters is important for a good story and I do so hope my story will be good! *panics* Anyway, thank you very much for reading and reviewing!

Melinda the Digimon Pet: Well, you were right, weren't you?! Or so it seems so far. Yay! I'm really happy for your review, your comments and your predictions. Belduine claims that Kyo isn't really what's important. But I'd better not say anymore or risk giving away the story. Thank you very much for your review!

Sakura Avalon/Kinomoto: Ah, don't give up on Yukiru! I'd like to hear your thoughts on Kyo out of curiosity, but I will admit that I have a soft spot for our dear Prince Yuki. I hope you'll keep reading to see how it goes.

Calender: I loved your review! You seem genuinely excited and I really like seeing your name! I don't want to give away the story, but please keep reviewing! There's lots more planned to happen!

SAL-chan: Oh no, really. I _want_ CCS. Stop teasing me! ^_^ Ha ha. Thank you for your review! I'm really grateful. I'm afraid I can't answer your questions, but I hope the story is interesting! Please return!

Caiti: Your reviews are so smart and so mature and so deliciously long. Thank you for them! They're absolutely lovely. I hope to keep the story unpredictable, so let me know if I succeed or fail! As for Ritsu, I'm going to try and get him in the next chapter, but we'll have to wait and see. I can't always do all that I think I can…

Rivulet: Oh, you gave me a scare at first. I wasn't sure if you'd forgotten the story. It's very bad of me to almost wait for your review before I get writing. *slaps wrist* Anyway, thank you very much for all that you have said. I sincerely appreciate the effort! We'll get more on Kureno shortly, and Arisa will also come into it soon too. ^_~ Tell me if you think I summarized Akito too much. I wasn't sure if it would be better to just write it out or integrate it slowly, so I've decided to do both. As for the fanclub, that's part of the fun of choosing Belduine to be in this story! As for the pixie, that's a cute comparison, but just so you know, he's not actually a pixie. ^_~ I don't want to reveal too much about him though, because there are still some things to discover… And as for the Esper…No, I really can't give it anything away. *beats head*

The Great Thing: Oh, you I really almost gave up on! I was thinking I would post again before you read and thereby lose a review from you for the other chapter, but I guess luckily I wasn't able to finish this chapter as early as I wanted to. ^_^ How ironic! But I'm so happy! I'm glad you aren't dead and it's good to be working hard in school! Thank you very much for the encouragement. The other story I'm writing is actually more popular than this one, but I'm trying to update both as fast as I can! Bear with me! I'm busy too! *flaps arms* Anyway, I promise that "insanely weird" is coming so stay tuned. I did a lot of planning. It just takes so much longer than I anticipated. This might be a very long story! Too long for a movie even, though the compliment is undeniably flattering. *blushes* I'm glad that you seem so excited! Please read and review again!!!

Thank you everybody! I really appreciate it!

PS: A note on 'Esper': If anyone was wondering, I _did_ get the word "Esper" from Final Fantasy III (or VI) but in my defense I thought it was a real word because I've heard it used elsewhere before. However I can't find it in any dictionary, so I guess I'll just admit to stealing it from FF. It's a tribute to the game. I liked the Espers a lot and I started using the word when I was planning this story and it just kinda got stuck. So, sorry about that if anyone was curious. It's not supposed to be any kind of crossover or anything. I just liked that term for a fairy-like entity.


	8. What the Messenger Said

I am once again a liar because I am updating _earlier than I thought I would.  I hope people won't punish me by not reviewing the last chapter (chapter 7) but I guess I'll just have to wait and see.  I hope that by chapter 8 you are prepared for the twist out of the FB known universe that story is about to take… ^_~_

Evermore

Chapter 8

By Zapenstap

            Yuki flanked Belduine on his right side and Shigure on his left, but it was Shigure Yuki watched out of the corner of his eye. Shigure shuffled forward with his hands tucked away in the sleeves of his robe as if he were some sort of humble monk, smiling cheerily as he walked.  He was carrying on a conversation with Belduine, but he looked straight ahead as he talked, as if merely chatting for the sake of hospitality.  Yuki was not fooled; the subject of the conversation was really more like an informal interrogation.  And yet Belduine did not look perturbed.  Either he was playing along or he didn't understand.  Like he was a child being led to the park instead of to Akito, he listened attentively and answered questions straight-forwardly, strolling along between his guards as if they were close acquaintances.   But then, Belduine didn't know Akito.  Yuki felt cold but said nothing.  He merely watched, and thought as fast as he could.

            "So you come from Evermore," Shigure said with a smile.  "And just where is that exactly?"

            Belduine shrugged, looking at Shigure even if Shigure was not looking at him.  "I couldn't really tell you.  All I know is that I came here from there.  It's above me to know how it's done.  The magic is too complex."

            Shigure acted as if this information did not startle or impress him, but Yuki almost missed a step.  Magic?  Was the kid mad, or was something going on here that was even more allusive and perilous than he had suspected?  Suffering under a curse as he was, Yuki could not completely dismiss such a comment out of hand, but the implications did not set easy with him.  The curse was terrible, unnatural, and it was possible that it was magical, wasn't it?  It had come from somewhere or someone, even if he was not privileged to that information.  But whatever magic Belduine was talking about did not sound of the same kind.

            "It's a magical place then, this Evermore?" Shigure asked casually, and Yuki was half-startled to realize that Shigure's outward mood couldn't possibly reflect his real thoughts.  But if that was true… it occurred to him that perhaps Shigure was in the habit of acting.  Suddenly he understood why Rin was always so interested in Shigure and his surreptitious behavior.  

            "Uh, not really," Belduine said.  "I guess you could say that The Heart of The Glen is a magical place, but Evermore itself is really more of a location.  It's not even that big.  It's part of a forest that separates four princedoms, but there's really nothing magical about the outlying districts.  Everything beyond the borders of Evermore is rather commonplace.  I have heard there are magic academies to the East, and I guess that's where the magicians came from, but I've never been that far myself."

            To this, Shigure said nothing, and Yuki himself was rendered speechless.  If he was mad, he was certainly inventive. 

            "These magicians," Shigure began, "they know about us?"

            "They're the high servants of the Esper herself," Belduine said. "Yeah, they know.  It's only a matter of the time it takes them to organize before they come here.  Azaren is the cautious, planning type.  They might already be here for all I know, watching and waiting for the opportune moment."

            "But how would they get here?" Yuki broke in as Shigure seemed to fall into a still and eerie silence, his eyes glittering as he looked straight ahead.  "What you are saying doesn't make any sense."

            Belduine turned to look at Yuki.  "They use the Key," he said, making a gesture as if turning a key in a lock.  "The legend says that when the Esper came to Evermore—it was called something else before she came—the only thing she brought with her was a golden key that hung around her neck.  I couldn't tell you how it works or where she found it, but it opens doors to other places.  That's how I got here three days ago."

            "Why?" Yuki demanded, bewildered but desperate to work out this riddle.

            "Because the Esper sensed your Curse, and she sent me here to collect it."

            Yuki's eyes widened in sudden flash of fear that, though his understanding was incomplete, made his insides turn over.  He couldn't commit to believing anything so preposterous, and yet, what if it were true?  What if there was some sort of fairy in some other place that collected curses?  And why was that so terrible that they were in danger from it? If some strange being wanted their curse, she could have it.  Unless there was something more to it.

            "You know," Belduine said to him suddenly.  "You're really beautiful."

            Yuki lost his footing and almost fell forward on his face. 

            "I meant that in a strictly objective way," Belduine added.  "You okay?  I didn't mean to upset you.  It was just something I noticed.  Sorry to take you by surprise.  I hope you're not offended."

            Shigure's expression was contorted into something between a stoic mask and a fitful grin. He looked as if he was about to die from the effort of holding in the laughing fit bursting to escape him. 

            "No, it's fine," Yuki said quickly, regaining his stride and glaring at Shigure over Belduine's head.  Inside he was fluttery and nervous, feeling once again like he was being stared at and inappropriately misjudged.  But he didn't let it show.

            "I really am sorry," Belduine said, sounding abashed. 

            "We're here," Shigure announced before Yuki had to reply, and Yuki's attention was quickly refocused.  They had come to the receiving room where Akito was waiting.  At the threshold, Shigure swallowed his amusement and turned to Belduine with a grave expression.  "Akito is the head of our family and the god of the Zodiac Curse," he informed him, "which, from the sound of things so far, you probably already know.  He is the most important member of our family and he was not happy to hear about your interference.  His word is law to the rest of us, but I should warn you that he is not in good health and is frequently sick.  Be careful the way you speak to him.  His moods can sometimes turn violent."

            "Okay," Belduine said more somberly than Yuki had yet heard him speak.

             Shigure opened the door and led him in.

            Yuki had to take several calming breaths as he followed Belduine into the room and silently shut the doors.  As Shigure led Belduine to the center of the room to kneel on the tatami mats—Belduine copied Shigure's form awkwardly—Yuki glanced circumspectly around the room.  Sunlight lit up the paper-screen windows on the left side of the room, and a few artistically placed shoji lamps provided the rest of the lighting.  There was next to no furniture in the room, as was consistent with ancient Japanese style, but the calming atmosphere that ought to have been presented by the natural colors and open spaces was stifled by the room's occupants.

            Though Akito usually took his time to acknowledge visitors, today he was waiting, standing at the head of the room while everyone else knelt on the floor, waiting for him to speak.  Momiji was gone and Yuki would not have been surprised to hear that Akito had sent him out, but Haru and Hatori knelt on either side of Akito in attendance, facing the visitors but not looking at them.  Kureno was also absent, which was to be expected.  Yuki had been surprised to see him in the hallway.  

            Yuki felt slightly cold and numb as he knelt on the other side of Belduine, bowing his head and hoping that he would not have to interface with Akito directly today.  Akito himself seemed to take no notice of Yuki.  His eyes glared contemptuously down at his visitor.  As head of the household and God of the Juunishi, Akito was not held under the usual code of hospitality.  Everyone was expected to look up to him, to bow down to him, to be polite to him, and he never questioned that he need ever return their respect.  He felt that it was owed him, and it was clear that the way Belduine glanced briefly and curiously around the room before focusing on him angered Akito from the start.  The dark flash in his eyes made Yuki nervous.  Akito hated foreigners even more than he hated women, for his distrust of outsiders to the Sohma Curse doubled in respect to anyone outside the comfort of his own culture.  He looked at the bewildered kid kneeling on the floor was as if about to spit on a condemned criminal, and after a few moment of heavy silence, the spark in Belduine's eyes showed that he had noticed it.

            "I'm sorry for this confrontation," Belduine began, "but I…"

            "So you're the one," Akito cut him off smoothly.  His voice was like oil, slick and smooth and black as pitch. "How old are you?  16?  17?"

            "I don't really know," Belduine answered pleasantly, and Yuki blinked in surprise.  "But that isn't…"

            "Not much to look at, are you?" Akito continued, and his eyelids slipped down as if he were tired or bored.  "Small.  Plain.  Poor?  And yet you stabbed my monster, threatened my…" He smiled almost sickeningly, "…family.  My dear, _beloved_ family.  Do you know how that makes me feel?"  The malicious hitch in his tone made Yuki's skin pebble with a sudden chill.

            Belduine only stared at him, lips slightly parted, hands folded on his lap.  He spoke more contritely.  "I have something important to tell you, my lord."

            This address made Akito's eyebrows shoot up, but all he did was laugh, a mirthless chuckle that shook his slight frame but brought no warmth to his face and eyes.  "I see," he said, stopping suddenly.  "Something to tell me.  Go on. Say it.  Give us your _outside news that is so important to the Sohmas."_

            Belduine licked his lips and rocked back a little as if uncomfortable and wanting to shift the way he was sitting, but he did not actually move, for which Yuki was grateful.  "Three days ago I was sent here from Evermore by the Esper.  She sensed your Curse and desired it for herself."

            Akito's eyes narrowed.  His reply was biting.  "_Desired our curse?  Explain that. What is this Esper?"_

            Belduine answered almost as if reciting a litany.  "She is a being of magic energy that can not die.  Her power is feared and in these dark times she feeds on suffering.  It is said that once in the distant past she was a breaker of curses and healer of injuries, but now she delights in sorrow and pain and gathers it to her.  She wants your curse for herself, but…" he paused hesitantly, "not to remove it from you."

            And suddenly Yuki had a sickening flash of understanding.  In the matter with which he had been half-entertaining Belduine's wildly incredible information as truth, he had assumed that this Esper, whoever she was, wanted their curse in a material way.  He had entertained the idea that a fairy, if such a thing existed, might be able to lift it somehow, but now he understood that this was not what Belduine had come to warn them about.  The situation was not merely strange, but perilous.  By the sound of it, this Esper of Belduine's, if there was a shred of truth to her existence, didn't want to take their Curse upon herself.  She wanted _them, in flesh and blood, the fourteen names on Belduine's list. She wanted the cursed __members of the Zodiac, to __keep for herself, like animals in cages, like freaks on display… _

            "She collects curses," Belduine continued, and was staring Akito straight in the eye.  "And has no concern for people.  She collects those who suffer and she feeds on their misery until they're broken and used up and they die off, and then she keeps the magic in the residue for herself, to boost her power."

            …Like fattened lambs.

            It was clearly impossible, a preposterous idea, a subject to be dismissed and ignored, but…  _somehow Belduine _knew_._

            The distain in Akito's expression was evident, but in the reflection of his eyes a dark, raging fury rolled and boomed like storm clouds roiling in the surface of a gray lake.  Yuki's heart beat in his ears, and his breathing seemed to come in ragged spurts, his body cold as ice, his fingers numb, still and motionless as he waited for the rain to fall.

            It fell with a lightning strike.

            "Who desires misery?" Akito spat.  "Who wants to take my family from me?"  He pointed a finger at Belduine, and his whole arm shook with rage.  Hatori started, looking up at Akito in fear, and even Haru's eyes widened as he shifted, bringing one knee up from the ground.

            "Akito…" Shigure whispered.

            "Silence!" Akito snapped and Shigure deflated as if struck.  Akito's burning eyes remained on Belduine.  "Are you telling me what to fear?  Are you telling me what to do?  I don't need you!  No one here needs you!  You're a liar and a criminal and an outsider and nothing you say means anything to the Sohmas!  Hatori!"

            "Break the curse!" Belduine shouted as Hatori stood, and the noise rung in Yuki's ears.  "If you are their god you must know what can be done, what has to be done.  If you lose the curse she will lose interest in you.  Don't you want to be rid of it?"

            "It can't be _lost_!" Akito shouted, and there was pain in his voice that rent the air like a knife.  "And what would _she know of misery?  Nothing.  It doesn't matter.  Nothing can be done."_

            "Well not if _you_ don't believe it can!" Belduine cried shrilly, encouragingly, desperately, and for a moment what he was saying sounded so much like Tohru that warmth flooded Yuki's heart and hope flickered in him briefly, like a candle flame pushing back the darkness.  "You're a god," Beludine continued in a following whisper.  "Can't you…can't you _bless them somehow?"_

            Akito coughed violently, a sound that made it seem as if his lungs were filled with fluid, and he bent over himself, hacking and trembling and half looking like he was going to fall over.  Light spatters of blood speckled the hand he held over his mouth.  "No," he gasped.  "No, I can't do anything like that, you _simpleton!"_

            "But…"

            "Silence! I don't want to hear anymore.  Hatori!"

            Hatori moved to grasp Akito's shoulders, supporting him as he continued to cough, his frail body shaking and half looking like it was going to fall apart like a shivered tree.  Clutching Hatori's forearm, he dug his nails into his doctor's shirtsleeve and swayed against him.  He lowered his head as if dizzy, but then his eyes looked up at Belduine and the shocked faces of everyone in the room, noting their concern with obvious disgust.  

            "Erase his memory," Akito said when his coughing fit subsided and he was able to straighten. His eyes glanced at Belduine askance, deep and dark and full of malice. 

            Belduine's eyes widened with alarm.  "Erase my…?"  He leaped to his feet, eyes darting toward the papered windows, measuring their resistance, but his legs half gave way under him suddenly, and it was obvious that they had fallen asleep from sitting in a position he was not used to for so long.  Darting forward, Yuki grasped him from behind and held him down by the shoulders before he could move again.  His conscience was torn when he saw the uncertainty in Belduine's eyes, knowing that they reflected his own.

            "But what he has said," Shigure began, lifting a hand toward Akito imploringly.  "I'm not saying we should trust him, but we should at least consider…"

            Akito's eyes flared.  "Erase _all of their memories!" he snarled, staring at Shigure with something close to hate.  Yuki looked up in shock and heard Haru gasp, but then Shigure closed his mouth and bowed low, folding double over his knees.  Akito smiled, regaining his composure and spoke is a more soothing tone.  "I heard what he said, Shigure, but it's time to end this business of outsiders knowing about us, don't you think?"_

            "Whatever you think best, Akito," Shigure said, but he didn't sound pleased.

            "Very well.  I'm glad you are on my side again," he said it with a twisted grimace.  "Those in the family may keep the secret, since we are all bound by it.  But not everyone in this room is part of the family.  Yuki, hold him still. Hatori?"  The last was clearly an order.

            Belduine struggled under Yuki's grasp as Hatori came solemnly forward, but the boy was obviously not able to use his full strength while pinned down on his back with his legs still half asleep.  "Don't do this!" he gasped to Yuki. "They can't find me here.  Akito!  Don't do this!  You don't understand what you're up against.  It's almost certain they're here already!  I thought I felt it earlier!  It won't be long before they come for each of you!"

            But Akito's face didn't change.

            "Close your eyes, Yuki," Hatori whispered.

            Yuki shut his eyes tightly as Hatori half knelt before Belduine, but his grip on the kid's shoulders tightened as he struggled valiantly, thrashing in Yuki's grip.  So many emotions were swirling inside Yuki that he didn't know what to think or feel, but it was fear that paralyzed him in its potency.  He held onto Belduine with a death grip until a rushing sound filled his ears, a sound like wind sweeping ocean waves to crash against the giant, jutting rocks of the seashore.  It was accompanied by a blinding flash of light that burst against the outside of his eyelids, and with the passing of the sound and the light, Belduine's movements ceased, his body going slack in Yuki's grip.  Opening his eyes, Yuki stared down at his own hands, noting how his knuckles had gone white from his hold, that his hands shaking, and had the sudden urge to throw up.  Belduine looked dazed, his eyes blinking rapidly, his head lolling on his neck, and then he seemed to drift asleep, slumping over unconscious for the second time that day.

            "Poor kid," Shigure whispered in a voice so quiet that only Hatori and Yuki could have heard him.  He looked dazed.  "I have a bad feeling about this."

            "Put him back in that room," Akito said, breaking in on their silence.  "I want to ask him some more questions when he wakes up."

            Shigure's head snapped up.  "But…" he whispered, and then it seemed as if a realization had dawned on him.

            There was a moment of silence as Akito and Shigure stared at one another, assessing one another.  Shigure seemed profoundly shocked, staring at Akito as if he had never seen him before.  

            Akito's expression twisted slightly.  "Don't question my orders."

            His command was punctuated by a second coughing fit, and this time it was so bad he stumbled backward and leaned against the wall, holding his robes tight around his body, staring at the floor as he tried to breathe, hair hanging in his face.  It was a face that—Yuki was consciously aware—looked a little too similar to his.  He wished this day was over.

            "Akito," Hatori said stoically, rising from Belduine's crumpled form. "Perhaps you should lie down."

            "I'm fine!" Akito snapped.  "Just follow my orders!  Take him out of here!  All of you!  I want everyone to leave me.  Now!"

            They all stood, scrambling quickly to their feet.  Shigure knelt to lift Belduine from the floor, sharing a meaningful glance with Hatori, who only shook his head. 

            "Everyone except Yuki," Akito added abruptly.  "I want Yuki to stay here with me."

*****

            One the pathway leading up to the front entrance of the hot springs resort, Ritsu Sohma trudged tragically along, carrying the grocery bag by the handle in both hands, sighing repeatedly and lamenting his hopelessness.  He tried to keep from crying, reminding himself that even his self pity was something to be ashamed of, and was then pushed to tears again by the despairing thought that the world would just be a better place without him.

            "I'm worthless.  I'm worthless.  Why was I born with no talents?  Why am I such a disappointing person?"

            He stopped by a puddle left over from a short shower that watered the countryside earlier that morning.  The puddle was gray and muddy but he could see his face in it clearly, a sad, long face framed by hair that ought to have belonged to a girl, though, he admitted, not a very pretty one.  He was too large and awkward and sad to be pretty, not that he deserved to be attractive or the kind of attention that came with beauty!  What was plain was that even dressed in a girl's kimono, which he adopted out of a desire to be overlooked as a self-effacing, contrite girl usually was, Ritsu still lacked confidence. 

            "I'm just no good," he whispered to himself.  "I can't help how useless I am.  Nothing I do matters to anyone.  It is no wonder that no one wants to be my friend and that my parents are ashamed of me.  It is natural that I don't have confidence.  I was born to it and I just have to accept it." His lip quivered under this deluge.  "I apologize!  I'm sorry!"  Setting the grocery bag down, he clapped his hands together and bowed to the puddle, asking forgiveness of the muddy water for imposing his reflection upon its surface.

            Not feeling any better, he picked up the bag and kept walking.  For some reason, he still kept going, trying to smile every once and awhile, encouraging himself to wake up again the next day.  But it made him sad, because no matter his efforts, he knew he could never be as confident as Ayame.

            He wished to visit Tohru again.  She was so nice, so accepting, so encouraging.  He still remembered what she had said about finding someone special to share your life with.  Oh, but it was too much of a dream to expect something like that!  But… maybe someday.  It would be a disservice to Tohru Honda's kindness to give up so early.

            Feeling a little better, Ritsu continued walking until he reached the end of the path.   Walking straight up to the door, he knocked on the front door, not wanting to intrude, even if it was his own home.   Usually his mother came right away to let him in, but this time no one came.

            He banged one more time, hoping he was not being too loud, and then wondered frightfully if he was disturbing anyone.  He hung around outside for a few minutes, feeling nervous, and then decided to let himself in.

            "Hello?" he whispered, peering around the frame of the door.  Everything seemed strangely still and quiet.  "Mother?"

            Padding softly inside, Ritsu set the bag of groceries on the counter in the kitchen—he was certain he had forgotten something important at the store—and then began to explore the house.  It was never this quiet.  Usually someone was complaining somewhere, or crying or apologizing or shouting at someone else.  He walked upstairs to where the staff's bedrooms were located and knocked on his mother's door.

            "Mother?"

            An unfamiliar voice made his hand freeze before knocking a second time, a voice speaking in a language he had never heard before.  

            The door swung open without Ritsu having touched it and two men wearing dark cloaks eyed him from within, dark green cloaks wrapped around their bodies and an excess of white material peaking out from the cloak partially concealed their faces.  Just behind the two strange figures was his mother, lying facedown on the floor, her eyes closed, her body stiller than stone. 

            Ritsu cried out in alarm, but there was no one around to hear it.

*****

            Yuki stood by the doorway even after the others exited, chin lowered and fists clenched at his sides.  Akito's request that he remain had sent a bolt of unpleasantness through him, the sliver of dread that always accompanied such a request, though he did not even consider refusing it. It was just that every time he was with Akito, especially if they were alone, he left feeling a little less of a man and more and more like a rat.  It was the dread of that feeling that made his palms clammy and his thoughts lose focus.  The trauma such sessions had caused him in his childhood still haunted him, and he couldn't abide cramped, dark places even now, places like the one where Akito had whispered horrors to him about his own nature.  He never wanted to be locked in that room ever again, but even standing in this open room he felt that in some ways like he was always locked in it, and maybe that was why he could never run away.  

            Akito didn't say anything to him for awhile.  He merely coughed and shuffled about, casting glances at Yuki from time to time and then ignoring him as he would a piece of furniture.  It was a surprise when he spoke, using a soft, almost caressing tone.

            "Why so sad, Yuki?" he asked.  "Don't you know you're my favorite?  It's a real honor, is it not?"

            Yuki didn't say anything.  He had heard all this before and he still wasn't sure what Akito really meant by it.

            Akito watched him silently for another minute and in that time Yuki managed to look at him, not sure exactly what to call the emotions he felt when he was around Akito, nor what to say.   He felt his confidence crumbling, his insecurities bubbling up under a surge of fear and worry and discomfort.

            When Yuki neither moved nor spoke, Akito approached him, gliding surely and softly across the tatami mats, making no noise at all.  When he reached Yuki, his hand lifted to delicately touch Yuki's face, turning his head under the chin so that Yuki was forced to look him in the eye.  "You don't know who you are, do you?" he whispered. "The Rat.  The first.  Don't you think it's a privilege to be what you are?  Or is it… a curse?"  He smiled fiendishly.  "And yet you never come to visit me.  If I didn't know better…"  Akito's fingers clenched, the pressure digging lightly into Yuki's cheek.  "I'd almost think you didn't like me."

            Yuki could only stare at him.

            Akito's hand dropped away.  "Where did you get that bruise?"

            "From a fight."

            "With that Cat?"

            "No. The foreign boy gave it to me."

            Akito lips twisted in what might have been either a smile or a grimace.  "I'm disappointed in you," he said, and Yuki felt the words hit him like a blow to the stomach.  "Do you believe what he said, Yuki?  Do you think he's telling the truth?"

            "I don't know," Yuki replied softly.

            Akito turned away from him, his demeanor relaxing so that he was more of an isolated body than an invasive force, wrapping in on himself and excluding all others.  He was always either one or the other.  Yuki swallowed, trying to regain his composure, to find his strength, but all he felt was sick in the stomach.  He bottled his emotions deep, sinking in on himself, trying to find his footing.

            "I think they must be lies," Akito said.  "Because someone like that _would_ lie, don't you think?  But I will ask him again just to be sure."  He smiled in a way that made Yuki nervous.  "You're so cold, Yuki.  You even look like ice."  When Yuki didn't say anything, Akito turned his head away and took a few strolling paces toward the center of the room.  "I want you to tell me what you've been up to since I see you so rarely these days.  I want you to tell me everything you've been doing.  And then, once you've told me, I want you to go back to that room, the one where our little friend is resting, the one where I used to keep you…"  He smiled again, that same smug, sickly smile.  "And fetch him for me."

            With a faltering voice, Yuki answered the questions Akito asked, skirting as much of his personal life and feelings as he could, keeping individual people out of it as much as possible, for their safety as well as his own.  He didn't talk about the Student Council or Tohru or anything that mattered to him.  And it didn't seem that Akito cared.  He looked extremely bored, yet whenever Yuki's recitation faltered he was told to keep on with it.  When he found himself running out of things to say, Akito smiled at him as if knowing his mind and abruptly told him he could go.

            When Yuki opened the door, Akito's voice stopped him.  "Just remember who owns you," Akito said.

            Outside, Yuki wobbled on his feet and put a hand to his head to steady himself.  Why?  Why was _he_ the favorite?  Why did Akito go out of his way to abuse him?  When he approached the room that had horrified him so thoroughly all his life, it took every grain of confidence he had to face it directly.   The fear of being trapped in the dark, in a small place, alone for hours, cold and lonely and abandoned, threatened to claw its way into his heart.  And he couldn't stop thinking about the things Akito had said to him in the darkness, things that had crippled his spirit.  He never understood why.  He never wanted to see this room again, but to think that someone else was trapped here… He wished he could make heads or tails of Belduine.  The kid claimed to have been _sent_ by someone he acknowledged as his employer and their enemy and then chose to warn them about it.  Why?  

            When Yuki unlocked the door and opened it, he got a shock.   The room was empty, and it took him a few moments to realize that in the short time he had been talking to Akito, Belduine must have escaped. 

*****

            At Shigure's house, Tohru left Kyo, Arisa and Saki playing a game of cards at the table and padded upstairs to change out of her school clothes.  Hanging up her school uniform in the closet so that it wouldn't wrinkle, she changed into a skirt and shirt and stood in front of the mirror as she plaited her hair into two braids.  But when she went to fish a hair tie from the dresser Shigure had bought her for her room, her eye caught sight of something she had forgotten and her hand drifted over and froze, hovering over the flower Belduine had given her the first time they had met, the flower she had dropped on her dresser top and hadn't thought about since.

            She paused, looking at it as she finished tying her hair, and then picked it up.  Her eyebrows lowered with confused sympathy.  That poor boy.  He had seemed so sweet and genuine she still couldn't believe he had been the one to stab Kyo.  And then he had pulled a knife on Yuki and said all those strange things.  She was glad that Kazuma had stopped it before anything worse had happened, but she couldn't help feeling sorry for him and wondered what it was he was so desperate to tell everybody.  

            Her thoughts were interrupted when she noticed something strange.  She blinked, twisting the flower in her hand and tapping it against her fingers. It hadn't wilted, not even a little, even though she hadn't put it in water or anything.  The stem still felt hard and fresh and the petals looked as soft and new as ever.  It _seemed to be a real flower.  Brows knitting in consternation, she examined it a little closer and was astonished to discover what looked like tiny words written on the edge of the petals._

            "What kind of flower is this, mom?" she breathed.

            A knock sounded at her door and she turned quickly, the flower still grasped in her hand.  "Hello?"

            "Hey, it's me."

            Kyo's voice.  Forgetting about the flower, Tohru walked to the door and opened it.  "Oh, I'm sorry," she said habitually, smiling at him. "Have you all been waiting for me?"

            Kyo's response was a glower. "What are ya doing up here?" he asked her, his mouth pulled down in a frown that she knew he didn't mean, his face tensed as he glanced around the room with both fists pressed to his hips.  "Your Yankee friend wants to play Sevens and we need another player."

            "Oh, um, okay," Tohru said, and made to follow him out the door.

            He stepped back a little to give her room and pointed to the flower in her hand.  "What are you doing with that thing?"  He sounded irritated, almost… jealous.  "Is that…?"

            "Oh, nothing!" she said hurriedly.  "It's just… Well, I was worried about what's happening at the Main House and everything…"  Seeing that this topic was not helping Kyo's mood, she held up her hands and added hurriedly, "and…well, look:  I noticed that there's something rather strange written on the petals."

            "Let me see it," Kyo said.

            Tohru held it up for him to look at and flushed a little as he stepped closer to her, close enough that she could have laid a hand on him without having to reach.  She hardly noticed when he plucked the flower from her hand and turned it over in his carefully.  

            "That is kind of weird," Kyo muttered.  "Can't read it either.  It's too small. Hell, I'm not even sure what language this is."

            He handed the flower back to her, extending it out with one hand.  She stared at it, and then at him, looking into his face.  He flushed under her gaze, as if suddenly feeling awkward about giving her a flower.  "Uh, yeah.  Here."  Shoving it at her, he stepped back hastily. 

            A sudden commotion coming from downstairs broke the tension.

            "What the hell?" Arisa's voice came suddenly.  It was followed by a thunder of footfalls racing up the stairs.

            "Wha…what's going on?" Tohru asked with a slight tremble.

            Kyo grabbed her arm just below the shoulder as she tried to move past him, his eyes suddenly looking very serious as he maneuvered her to a safe place behind him and took a few steps toward the stairs. Tohru followed close behind, keeping her eyes on the center of Kyo's back, her arms and elbows tucked tight against her body.  She almost bumped into his back when he stopped.

            Arisa and Saki burst into view, Arisa's hands climbing the rail as she leaped over the top step, Saki close behind her.

            "Move!" Arisa shouted.  "Someone's breaking in!"

            "Wha…?" Kyo began.

            But it was unnecessary to explain as the sound of something tearing apart drifted up the stairs.  Tohru connected the noise with the paper doors leading from the dining area to the yard and thought vaguely about what Shigure was going to say when he came home before the seriousness of what was happening clicked in her head.

            Kyo grabbed her hand, yanking her down the hall by the arm.  "The roof," he muttered. "You can get to it from the window in my room. Come on."

            Arisa and Saki followed as voices filled the lower level of the house, speaking in a language none of them understood.  Saki kept looking back over her shoulder and shaking her head as if it ached.  Ducking into Kyo's room they shut the door and ran to the far wall.  They stopped when there was nowhere left to run, waiting with labored breath and racing hearts as Kyo heaved the window open.  Poking his head out of the side of the house, he looked around briefly before pulling back in and taking Tohru's hand.  "Go on," he said. "You'll have to pull yourself up…"

            "I don't know if I can," she said.  She was trembling so hard that she could hardly think, and it wasn't until Kyo grabbed her hand again that she realized he was shaking too.  She was clutching the stem of the flower so tight, she wasn't sure her hand could be pried away from it.

            "I'll go first," Arisa said.  "I can help Tohru up."

            Without wasting any more time, Arisa pushed past Kyo and climbed out the window.  Tohru's heart raced as she watched her friend turn her body on the sill, climb up to her feet and then slowly disappear from view.  

            "Go on!" Kyo said desperately.  He turned to look over his shoulder.  The commotion elsewhere in the house was growing louder.  The voices were climbing higher.

            "Who are they?" Tohru cried, but when Kyo tried to push her toward the window she rebelled.  "No!" she said, pulling back.  "Hana first.  Hana, you go first!"

            Saki looked at her placidly for a moment, looking as if she wanted to say something, but like Arisa, she did not waste time.  Tohru wanted her friends to be safe.  That was most important to her.  Saki seemed to see that and time was of the essence.  Once Saki was through the window, Tohru's turned to look at Kyo.

            "You have to go," Kyo said in a voice she only heard from him very rarely, a calm, quiet, commanding tone that seemed to melt her from the inside.  His expression was soft, almost sad, and there was a silent plea in his eyes that she could not resist.  Without further talk, he grasped her by the waist and lifted her up to the windowsill.  She put her knees on it and he steadied her as slowly turned her back to the window.

            At that moment, there was a loud bang that shook the room and it startled her so much her hands slipped and her body careened outwards, a scream almost escaping her lips until she felt Kyo grab for her wildly, his arms wrapping around her back tightly and pulling her roughly back inside.  She crashed into him and they both toppled to the ground, but before Kyo hit the floor he transformed, leaving her with nothing but a stunned orange cat and a flower in her hand when several cloaked and strangely garbed men stepped into the room.

            Tohru stood unsteadily, her knees buckling and knocking together, mouth gaping.  At her feet, Kyo hissed, back arching as he pressed back into her ankles.  

            "Who?" Tohru began.

            One of the men stepped forward, his eyes sliding over Tohru and focusing on the orange cat at her feet.  He waved a hand and muttered something and suddenly time seemed to be moving sluggishly.  Tohru registered the man's approach dizzily, and also the way Kyo's cat form seemed to be falling asleep on its feet, but she hadn't any idea what to do.  She watched in horror until the cloaked figure bent over to lift Kyo off the ground.  

            With a shriek, she shoved his shoulder, both hands hitting pushing at his weight with all her might.  "Stay back!"

            Blue light burst from her hand and she gasped, reeling back in bewilderment.  The flower in her fist blazed, one of the petals shining with a light that hit every corner of the room, spiraling larger and brighter like a revolving search light.  Tohru had no idea what it was doing, but she didn't care.  The strange men weren't moving toward her.  Stooping, she picked up an unresisting Kyo with both hands and turned to the window in one smooth motion.

            Arisa had half lowered herself back down, took the cat from her without question and pulled back to make room.  Too frightened to be afraid, Tohru climbed onto the windowsill feet first and reached up.  Hands grasped her from above, pulling her to the top, scraping her legs against the side of the house, and in a moment she was in the open air, on the roof near Kyo's favorite spot, and in the next she was running, slipping and sliding over the roof tiles to the ladder that led down to the ground.

            "Who are they?" Arisa shouted, still holding Kyo close to her as she ran as she climbed.  "Are they coming out of the house yet?"  

            Tohru couldn't answer.  She held her flower tightly to her chest.  The light had gone out and she noted that one of the petals had changed color. It was now black as pitch, the words that had been inscribed into it unreadable, though there still were other petals with funny words written on them.

            "This way," Saki said.  Once their feet hit the ground, they bolted across the lawn and into the woods.

            "Are they chasing us?" Arisa demanded.

            "No," Saki said.  

            Tohru didn't look back to see if they were being followed.  She didn't care about anything except escaping whatever it was that had happened back there.  She just wanted to get to somewhere safe.  But underneath that, she knew what she had to do, what was going on, and with a hundred emotions boiling just beneath the surface, it was an effort just to keep breathing.  Gradually, she began to cry.

            "Tohru?" Saki whispered, and they slowed down, surrounded by foliage and trees.  Arisa still held Kyo, who still seemed sleepy but was slowly coming out of it with slow measured blinks.

            "The Sohmas," Tohru cried insensibly, clutching her hands to her shoulders, wrapping her arms around her chest and sinking to one knee.  It felt safer closer to the ground.  "My family.  They'll attack the Main House.  I have to go.  Uo.  Hana.  I have to go."

            "Not alone," Arisa said fiercely.  "I'm going to this Main House with you."

            "As am I," said Saki.

            Kyo shook his head, snapping out of his daze when he became aware of Tohru's tears.  "Well, let's get going then," he said, scrambling out of Arisa's arms and dropping lightly to the ground.  Padding up to Tohru, he put his paws on her knees.  She turned to look at him, seeing him through a blur of tears, almost surprised by how determined he sounded.  "What?" Kyo growled, bearing his teeth at her.  "They're my family too!"  And suddenly it came to Tohru that Kyo was scared.  

TBC

A/N:  Thanks for reading this far everyone!  I hope the tenor of this story is becoming clear and that you are still interested, but who can say?  ^_^  Please write a review!  A lot of people who read last chapter didn't come back this chapter. I hope it wasn't anything I said!  But I did get some new/returning faces that I was very happy to see. ^_^  If anyone out there is reading in silence…. please make yourself known?

Calendar:  Good to see you!!  I'm so happy you reviewed, and I am equally excited that you are interested in Belduine and the original elements of this little story.  Thank you so much!  I hope all is answered for you in the future.

Flirting with Incoherence:  You are fabulous.  You came back again.  I'm glad that Kyo's emotional trauma was touching.  There was more Kyoru in this chapter, but it is not my plan to make Yuki a hermit. O_o  I'm also happy that you liked my take on Kazuma. I'm not sure how much he will be in the rest of the story, though.  I haven't decided about him. 

Mizaya:  You have given me lots of presents already, but thank you!  I really want to see the ponies still, and I will tell everyone I know about them b/c they are just too adorable.  ^_^  I hope you are more intrigued about the Esper and that the hints in this chappy were not too…weird.  I'm trying to work in the magic stuff slowly so as not to be overwhelming.  And yeah, the business thing was definitely a mistake.

GrrlN: Thank you for reviewing!  I count on you and hope that you are enjoying the story.  ^_^  So, what do you think of Esper lady now?  And don't worry about FF; it's completely irrelevant.

Merryday: I'm really pleased to see you are still reading!  You reviewed an earlier chapter and I wasn't sure you were coming back but I'm glad to see I was wrong! Thank you very much!

Sakura Avalon/Kinomoto: Death threats? Oh no, please don't!  It's not necessary.  I will keep writing!  As for Kagura, she will be in the next chapter some more.  I like her too.  ^_^

Sarlinia:  Oh, I apologize for the cliffhangers.  They are very helpful tools, though, I think, for readers and writers both!  Thank you for reviewing.  I hope you come back to review this chapter!

Caer:  Oh, such a compliment! Thank you.  I looked at your profile and you are a prolific writer yourself so I am quite honored.  I am pleased you like Belduine!  It always nice when readers take a liking to original characters.  Thank you for reviewing.  I hope you continue to!


	9. Enter the Tiger

*jumps right in with the action* I hope you remember what's going on!  ^_^ 

Evermore

Chapter 9

By Zapenstap

            Momiji trailed a hand along the outer wall of the Honke, well away from the center complex where those who knew about the cursed dwelled in secrecy, well away from everyone.  The only person he had seen was Kureno, and it was just the barest glimpse of the man a few moments ago at the edge of the fence; the other man had walked away as soon as their eyes met.  Momiji cast his eyes down at his feet as he strolled at a slow, aimless pace, feeling the sharp bite of the wind sting his cheeks.  It was cold outside and he had forgotten his coat, but he wasn't thinking about that.  Things were not right today.  Things were never right in this family, and it hurt; it hurt because he loved everybody so much.

            Momiji stopped walking, dropping his hand from the wall, biting his lip and sinking into a crouch, wrapping his arms around his knees. Akito had thrown him out of his presence earlier than usual this time.  He had looked so angry. Momiji was fairly sure that Akito hated him, and he didn't know why but it was like a knife cutting into his heart.  Akito was unpleasant it was true, but for some reason the thought of being hated by him was worse than any other feeling, worse even than the rejection of his mother.  He couldn't explain it.  He didn't know why.  It was part of the Curse.  And it rent his heart.

            Why did there have to be so much sadness in the world?

            He had passed Haru and Rin in the hall just a moment ago.  He had hung out around the center complex for a little while after he was told to leave, waiting for Akito to be done speaking with that strange boy so he could ask Hatori what happened.  But then he hadn't the heart to stick around so close.  He took to wandering, listening to the shouting and the slamming of doors, and after some time had past, stumbled on Rin and Haru.  He witnessed them circumspectly, peeking into a room from an angle as Haru ran up to Rin and grabbed her by the shoulders.  It was like he had been searching for her, panting as if out of breath, a tight, desperate look in his eyes.  But she wouldn't look at him as he tried to say something to her, turning her head sharply so that her hair whipped around to hide her face.  Haru stepped in closer, reaching to touch her cheek and she became angry, pushing him away, shoving him roughly, yelling, furious about something.  Momiji didn't watch any more.  All the miscommunication made him so sad.

            So he came out here to be alone, to reaffirm again all the things that he believed in, the things he _had_ to believe in with all his might.  He wouldn't succumb to despair.  He didn't want to.  While there was life there was hope and they all had to keep trying, even if it hurt.  Because there was happiness too, underneath everything else; you can't let the bad things obscure the good.  He picked at the dirt on the ground, admiring the many colors and beauties in something so common and despised and overlooked.

            He didn't see the strangers until it was too late.  

            Momiji scrambled to his feet as they came in through the main gate, a dozen altogether, though no one opened it from the inside and it swung inward without being touched.  One of them turned a hooded head, spotted him and pointed.  Natural instinct insisted he run and hide, he before he could move he was surrounded by a wall of forest green cloaks that rustled like the whispers of wind as they enclosed him. They covered space and distance too fast, appearing around him on all sides, encircling him too fast for him to have gotten away, too fast to ask questions even.  Was Kureno still nearby?  He sucked in air to shout, but pain clubbed him violently, like a mallet, immobilizing his body all at once.  His vision blurred and it was as if he was sinking into a void, his mind and thoughts going blank, his body slipping out of his control.  He felt pebbles digging into his knees and clutched at the earth with his fingers.  His vision swirled and he tried to speak, but instead he coughed up blood and collapsed, breathing in dirt from the ground that leapt up to meet his face as the world spun and faded completely out of focus.

*****

            Shigure moved quietly and circumspectly past the open doorway so as not to disturb Akito from where he stood on the far side of the room, hunched over in silence, biting the underside of his thumbnail and staring maliciously at the wall.  Slipping his hands into his sleeves, Shigure paced softly across the hallway to where Hatori was looking out of a window.  Standing at the doctor's shoulder, he waited patiently to be noticed.

            "I never would have expected it," Hatori said softly, glancing sideways at where they could just see Akito at an angle through the door, though Shigure was not sure how well Hatori could see him through his damaged eye.  "I don't think the others noticed anything unusual."

            Shigure put on a smile. "I wasn't sure _you_ had."

            "You think I'm simple, don't you?"

            "Not at all," Shigure intoned, and let his smile slip.  "I will admit that I was surprised myself.  I didn't see it at first.  I really thought he was angry, but it seems he was thinking after all."

            "He _was angry," Hatori murmured.  "But you're right.  He was thinking ahead.  He's not as blind to the boy's warning as I thought at first, not if he's going to question him again.  And with his memory erased, the boy won't remember the previous session."_

            "Brilliant really," Shigure said with a nod.  "Almost like questioning two witnesses to see if their stories match up.  He's worried about our safety then, or at least that we might really be in danger, or he wouldn't bother.  But there are still several questions.  One, does he really believe the boy's story?  I'm not sure I do.  It's too incredible.  But whether Akito believes it or not, it seems that he is working to take care of us.  So second question: Where did that kind of concern come from?  Is he doing it for our sake?  Certainly not the boy's."

            "No," Hatori answered.  "If I ever saw Akito do anything that wasn't ninety per cent selfish…"  He trailed off suddenly.

            "Aha.  See?  It's inconsistent, isn't it?"  Shigure watched his old friend carefully, hoping against hope that Hatori's beliefs about Akito were like his own.  Shigure had worked tirelessly with Akito to try and understand him, to guide him where he wanted him to go, but if he was wrong about his assumptions…well, a tilt or twist in any direction could send his scheming over the precipice and doom all of them, perhaps eternally.  They had to seize this chance. Anything out of the ordinary had to be utilized.

            "I don't know," Hatori said slowly.  "I always find myself questioning whether or not Akito means well in what he does.  He's as cursed as the rest of us.  Some would say more.  It's no excuse for some of what he…  Though I suppose it doesn't matter, considering there's nothing we can do."

            "He needs us," Shigure reminded him.  "He's as bound to us as we are to him.  No one can break free.  If he knows how the Curse can be broken…"

            "He claims he doesn't."

            Shigure glanced at Akito as he moved across the tatami mats with a touch of anger in his stride.  Even with that he almost seemed to float, though the hunched way he sunk in on himself and the way his body seemed to hang in space spoiled the effect.  _Maybe_, Shigure thought.

            What Shigure had said was true, though.  If each of the Twelve plus Kyo were bound to Akito by an unbreakable chain they could neither see nor define, he was respectively bound by thirteen chains to each of them.  With that much weight, there would be no room to move.  Confined as he was to a small space, with a future and a destiny already laid out for him since the day he was born, severely limited in what experiences he was allowed, exempt from many social rules learned through social interaction... It might explain some things.  But it didn't explain what had happened with Belduine.  Akito had been enraged at what he had heard, but he had been quick on his feet, swift to assess and make a decision, and after Shigure realized that erasing Belduine's memory served more than a vindictive purpose, he could even say it was a surprisingly wise decision.  After all, they couldn't take the stranger at his word, especially considering the precedent.  Perhaps many interviews would be necessary to sort out what they needed to know in order to protect themselves.  Shigure wouldn't have thought it possible of Akito to think so broadly.  And yet, there it was.

            "Hatori, Shigure, come attend me."  The words were soft, almost delicate, but their distinctive pull could not be ignored.

            Shigure shared a knowing glance with Hatori and then they both heeded Akito's call.  Akito never liked to be alone for long.  He had wrapped himself up in his kimono, hugging his frail body as if cold, but he looked up when they came, his hair falling over his eyes limply.  He shivered as they approached and Hatori routinely checked his head for fever.

            "It's good that you've calmed down," Hatori said.  "I was worried, but your temperature appears to be normal."

            "I'm fine," Akito whispered sharply.

            "Well that's good to hear," Shigure said warmly, putting on another smile.  Akito did not respond and Shigure decided a different tactic might be useful if another meeting like this occurred late.  "If you don't mind, I think I'll make a phone call to check up on Kyo."

            Akito did not object.  He didn't make any indication that he had even heard.

            Leaving Hatori to have his turn with Akito, Shigure used the phone across the room.  He had several reasons for calling.  One was to distance himself from Akito as the man did better one-on-one and Hatori was attending to him.  He also wanted to make sure that Tohru was all right.  She had seen and heard a lot and Shigure did not want her to have to worry about this.  He needed to tell her not to wait up for them tonight.  Such things were simple, everyday matters, a whole list of them running through Shigure's head as the phone continued to ring.  It rang for a long time.  And no one picked up. 

            A commotion outside the room caused him to look up just in time to see Yuki return from where Akito had told him to fetch Belduine.  Only Belduine did not appear to be with him, and Yuki's face had never looked so astounded and wild.

            "He's gone!" Yuki said, crashing through the door frame, gulping air.

            Akito's eyes flared and he straightened abruptly, tall and slender as a blade, and twice as deadly.

            "What do you mean?" Hatori demanded.

            Yuki was still breathing hard, as if he had run the whole way.  "He must have escaped.  I don't know how.  I looked around, but I didn't see any traces of him."

            "Escaped?" Hatori echoed.

             "Didn't he say something about how 'they can't find him here?' " Yuki said.

            Hatori rubbed a hand through his hair, his gaze wandering aimlessly.  "But how would he even know where he was?  He ought to have been dazed for hours.  No one recovers that quickly."

            "_You don't understand what you're up against.  It's almost certain they're here already!  I thought I felt it earlier!  It won't be long before they come for each of you!"_

The phone was still ringing.  The answering machine wasn't even picking up.          

            "Something is wrong," Akito said before Shigure could speak.  "Where are the others?"

            Shigure hung up the phone and lifted it again.  He dialed Ayame's shop, holding his breath.  He listened to Hatori and Yuki trying to pinpoint everyone's location with half a mind.  The phone just kept ringing.

            "Kyo's not at home," Shigure told them when the Cat's name finally came up.  "No one picked up at the house." He paused, feeling his skin crawl with the tension.  Nine rings.  "Hatori, when was the last time Aya called you?"

            Hatori eyes seemed to glaze over.  Everybody stopped moving.  Yuki seemed to stand up straighter, something flashing through his eyes. 

            "Yesterday," Hatori said quietly.  "He never called me today."

            "He's not picking up either," Shigure said quietly.  Something trembled in his stomach and buzzed in his ears, but he refused to listen to either his thoughts or his feelings as he hung up the phone and picked it up one last time.  "Who else is out of the Honke today?"

            "Ritsu," Yuki said.  "At the hot spring."

            Shigure dialed the Hot Spring Resort.

            "Hello?"

            Relief flooded through Shigure as Ritsu's mother and the hostess of the resort answered the phone in her usual drawling manner.  Her voice seemed even quieter than usual, as if she had just woken up or was suspicious as to who was calling her, which wasn't abnormal.

            "Hostess?" Shigure said with more delight than he felt, an upsurge of expression borne out of his relief.  "How are…?"

            "Shigure?" the woman exclaimed, and his elation died in an instant as her tentative tone escalated to a panicked shriek.  "Shigure!  I'm so sorry!  You have to help me!  Something has happened to my child!  I don't mean to disturb you, but I don't know what is happening! Strange men came here today.  I don't remember who they said they were or what they said.  There is a gap in my memory. But Ritsu is gone! My child never came home!"

            Shigure listened in astonishment as she burst into tears, fear rising like bile in his belly.

            "Who are you talking to?" Akito demanded.  "What are they saying?"  He came forward, striding across the tatami mats, coughing into his hand.  Before Shigure could answer or assess the situation in his bewilderment, Akito seized the phone, which Shigure released with limp fingers.   Akito listened for a moment in silence, disgust twisting his features, a heated rage seeming to boil under his skin.  

            "Just say what happened," he hissed, and Shigure heard the abrupt silence on the end of the line before the woman belted out Akito's name in hysterical recognition, following it with a list of perfunctory honors and then leaping into a litany of familiar apologies.  The strain in Akito's eyes was evident.  He looked ready to bite a hole in the phone or crush it into a pulp.  His fingers were white at the knuckles and his whole body was shaking.  Eventually, he seemed to hear the story, and wrenched the phone away from his head as soon as he heard enough.  It was difficult to process what thoughts were raging behind those shadowed, glittering eyes.  

            Hatori looked frightened.  "Momiji," he whispered.  "Where did he go?"

            "Find everyone," Akito snapped, and his eyes darted, not meeting any of them.  "Call everyone here." He coughed.  His face was pale, paler than Shigure had ever seen it, even when he was running a temperature of 104. "And find that kid."

            "He's probably long gone," Yuki whispered. Akito glared at him and Yuki subsided into silence.

            Shigure did not wait.  "Hatori, stay with Akito.  Yuki, find everyone in this building.  Don't go outside!"  Intending to belie his own advice, he strode out of the room, ignoring Hatori's shout after him.  If these people, whoever they were, came to the Honke… Would it help to draw everyone together?  Would these people come at them if they had to cross through the whole neighborhood?  Would it matter if they were seen?  Suppose they didn't care?  If Belduine's magicians were real, what was he to do to protect everyone?  Where were they and how many of these magicians were there?  They had been to the Hot Spring already, but suppose there were several groups?   He didn't know what had happened to Ritsu, but why was no one answering at his house?  And where was Ayame?  Panic simmered in Shigure's gut and he fought to control his rising terror as he sped quickly through the halls.  He could not answer the questions directly.  His head felt like it was filled with water and he blinked repeatedly to keep his vision clear.  They had to start by finding everyone in the Honke: Kureno, Kagura, Rin, Haru, Momiji, Kisa, Hiro…  But what then?  How was he to keep anyone safe?

            And what if it was too late?

*****

            Hiro did not understand why he was always bending over backwards for a girl.  Like taking a walk with her around the complex when it was getting dark, like they both hadn't seen it a million times; what was the point in that?  Still, he would indulge her.  He couldn't say no.

            Kisa was special to him, no doubt about it.  It had taken him almost a year and a half to realize how special she was.  He remembered playing on the playground with her when they were little kids, the way he used to follow her around just because she was a year older, and then how things had changed as he matured.  At first, he hadn't understood what was happening.  All he knew was that where he used to tell her absolutely everything he knew about anything, he would suddenly find it difficult to talk.  And then his palms got sweaty and he would start to feel embarrassed just by being too close to her, and then he would go and say the wrong thing to offend her when he meant to impress her.  

            Eventually, he figured it out of course.  He thought about it for awhile, rationally eliminated the contending theories and eventually determined that he loved Kisa.  And once he figured that out, he decided that he wanted everyone to know.  So he told Akito.  And it was Kisa who was punished, and it was he who ran like a coward, he who retreated in shame when she was teased at school.  He told himself he loved her, but he had been stupid and childish and unable to protect her, and was only just now starting to spend time in her company again, trying to be worthy, to make up for his mistakes.  And she still didn't know about any of it.  One day, he would have to tell her.

            _I want to tell her how I feel.  _I have to break the curse_.  __I'll find a way to do it.  __When I'm old enough._  When I understand more.  When people finally realize how smart I am.  I'll find a way to break the curse.  There's no way I can accept things like this!__

He was a man of his word.  He thought that was important in being the prince Kisa deserved.  Okay, so it was Tohru's idea and he really hated that manipulative twit (nobody could really be that dumb!) but well, she had a few good points sometimes, even if she didn't understand anything.  And besides, Kisa liked her a lot so he would try to take the parts of her advice that weren't hopelessly moronic.

            Kisa smiled at him, two locks of strawberry-blonde hair framing her face on either side.  She was pretty.  She was getting prettier and prettier as she got older.  When they were grown up maybe he would buy her things to compliment her beauty, like jewelry or something.  Girls were supposed to like presents and he didn't think he would be that bad at that kind of thing.  If stupid girls were good at shopping there was no reason why he shouldn't be able to do it.

            "Hiro?"

            He liked her voice.  Soft and sweet and timid.  She hadn't always been so timid, though.  There was a kittenish Tiger lurking in her somewhere and she could be brave when she wanted to be.  It had taken a lot of courage to start talking again after she had locked up her voice, after all, not to mention what it must have been like to go back to school that first day.  She hadn't needed anyone to hold her hand.  And she had always been a lot of fun in the schoolyard in primary school.  Yeah, she was shy during this adolescence thing, and she would always be sweet, but there was definitely something about Kisa that he just couldn't let go of.

            "What are you thinking about?" she asked.

            He smiled at her.  What was he always thinking about?

            Abruptly, something over her head caught his attention and he stopped.  He wasn't sure why at first, but he immediately grabbed her by the wrist and hustled her into an alleyway between two houses without needing to think about it, pulling her down into a crouch in the shadows.

            "Hiro?" she whispered, wrapping her arms around her knees.  "What is it? What's going on?"

            He shook his head and signaled her not to talk by placing a finger over his lips.  Smiling at her reassuringly, he pushed her softly against the wall, making sure she was hidden in the shadows, and crawled forward on his own to get a better look at what he had seen.  He didn't emerge out of the alley, but lay down on his stomach at the edge, adjusting his position so he could just see around the corner.  He could hear Kisa breathing fearfully behind him.  He didn't know why he wasn't afraid himself.

            _What's going on?  Too much thinking. _ I have to protect her_.  _

            Men swathed in forest green cloaks filed into the street from the gate that separated the inner complex from the outer neighborhood, six of them all together, each with a hood raised to hide his face.  Even their hands were gloved in green, and other than being strangers, there was something about them that Hiro didn't like.  But it wasn't until he saw the blonde head of the Rabbit hanging upside down in the grip of a man who was carrying him like a sack of potatoes that he let out an audible gasp and felt the first pricks of fear nettle him in the gut.

            Kisa tugged on his sleeve and he turned on his knees, grasping her about the shoulders and pulling her deeper into the shadows of the alley.  Should they run to the other side?

            "What's going on?" she whispered again, and her eyes sparkled a burnished gold even in the shadows. 

            "There are some men," Hiro whispered back, glancing over his shoulder.  "They have Momiji.  He's hurt."

            "What do you mean?"

            He held her hand, slipping his fingers in hers, and pulled her to her feet.  "Come on," he said.  "We should go this way…"

            He turned and took two paces before he stopped short, met by a second pare of golden eyes glowing out of the darkness of the alley in the direction he had intended to run.  Kisa bumped into his shoulder and stayed close, clutching his hand and bowing her head behind his back.  After a moment, she peaked out from around him to see why he had stopped, and he heard her gasp audibly in shocked surprise.

            Hiro had never seen a full grown tiger in real life, not even at the zoo.  He had seen Kisa when she transformed, but Kisa was just a kitten.  The animal that was approaching them in an evenly measured pace was caged by no bars and accompanied by no trainers.  Its paws were enormous, white toes padding softly into the dirt, hiding claws that could rip his body to pieces.  It was mammoth in size, easily the largest tiger he had ever seen even in pictures, larger than he thought a real tiger was supposed to be.  It breathed as it walked, its black lips parted to reveal rows of sharp teeth as it panted, its white whiskered chin and throat vibrating with a sound like a rumbling purr.  Only this was not the purr of a content housecat but a hunting predator.

            Hiro squeezed Kisa's hand.  Was it here for her?  Was it a part of the company of those strange men?  A second glance revealed that it had a collar around its neck, a collar that appeared to be encrusted with diamonds.   "Can you talk to it?" he asked.

            She seemed too terrified to speak.  He took it as a no.

            Hiro backed up slowly, pulling Kisa with him as the tiger advanced, its stripes fading in and out with the shadows of the building.  The robed men were advancing on the other side.  They would be seen if they left the alley, but they couldn't stay here.

            The tiger crouched as if ready to spring.

            "Run!" he said, and they both turned and fled out into the street.

            Shouts fell on them as soon as they were out into the open, but Hiro could not make out the words.  He tried to keep himself between Kisa and the robed men, shielding her with his body as they ran for the cover of the houses on the other side of the street.  Hiro didn't think they were going to make it, but maybe Kisa could if he…

            "Hiro!  Kisa!"

            Shigure's voice.

            Hiro pivoted, one boot grinding into the cobblestones as he stopped dead.  Kisa kept going a few paces before she stopped too, staring back at him with frantic eyes, fists pressed under her chin.

            Shigure appeared out of nowhere, entering the street from another alleyway between them and the strangers.  The hooded men stopped up short, their attention immediately diverted as Shigure began to talk, lifting a hand peacefully, speaking rapidly.  They did not appear to understand, but they were listening and watching him.  The tiger had not emerged from where Hiro and Kisa had exited, but Hiro thought he could see the flash of its collar just on the edge where it was crouched and waiting. 

            Shigure's head did not turn, but they heard him clearly as he shouted.  "Hiro, protect Kisa! Find Akito! Go on!  Run!"

            Hiro's heart thumped painfully in his chest, but he did as he was commanded.  Seizing Kisa by the wrist, he pulled her along, the two of them bolting the rest of the way across the street and slipping between more of the houses.  The Sohmas who were not cursed were starting to become aware of the commotion.  He saw heads poking out of windows and doors opening.  But no one came outside.  They moved from window to window, opened and closed door after door, but no one set a foot over the threshold to help.  _Cowards! he thought viciously._

            _Am I?_

He stopped again, looking back in time to see a second column of six green cloaked men cut them off from Shigure, inclosing the older man between two sets of equal numbers.  Shigure looked smaller, no longer speaking, and though his expression was composed there was a frightened look in his eyes.  One of the men stepped out from the group and removed his hood.  Hiro could only see the back of his head, but he was a large man with gray hair and powerful stance. His robes had golden runes embroidered on the edges of the large sleeves and front panels.  He seemed to be speaking but it was clear from Shigure's face that he had no idea what they were saying to him either.  Hiro caught a flash of orange and gold and saw the tiger appear in the middle of the circle, trotting past a wide-eyed Shigure to the side of the man who had cast back his hood, sitting on its haunches by his feet.  

            It came to Hiro with a jolt that there was nothing he could do.  Emotions stirred deep within him, frustration and hurt and fear mingling together and Hiro tuned out his emotions, becoming abruptly aware of how labored his breathing was.  Kisa had half collapsed beside him, stumbling to crouch on the ground, though she still hung from where he held her wrist with his hand.  He knelt, holding her by the shoulders, and tried to encourage her with words that hardly made sense even to him, pulling her up on unsteady feet.

            "Shigure," she cried, and there were tears in her eyes.  She hid her face from him with her hands.  He had no idea what to do or say.  He was shaking himself and it seemed to him that he was so afraid he had forgotten how to cry.

            "We have to go," he said. "Come on, Kisa.  We have to go.  I'll protect you.  Everything will be all right.  I'll think of something."

            She nodded as if she believed him at his word, and Hiro was assaulted with the feeling that he had to live up to it, that he had made something of a promise that he would have to keep.  She was trusting in him.  His feelings were mixed.  He was both elated and terrified.

            She took his hand again, clutching him by the forearm, and followed him down the alley to the other end.  As they emerged closer to the main complex, Hiro heard shouts taken up behind them.  He guessed that Shigure was secured and they were being followed.  He released Kisa's hand so that they could both run better.

            The door to the main house opened and Rin appeared suddenly, cool and composed as anything except for an angry glint in her eye.  Hiro could tell that she was livid about something and oblivious to what was going on, and he remembered suddenly that he was angry with her from the way she had treated him the other day, but all of that vanished in a cloud of smoke in an overwhelming surge of fear and love for her.

            "Rin!" he cried.  "Get back inside!"

            She looked up suddenly, seeming startled to see him, and obeyed without seeming to think.  

            The sound of feet pounding behind them distracted Hiro for a moment.

            Kisa screamed.

            "Kisa!"

            He skidded to a stop and turned to see a robed man grab her by the hair, yanking her back harshly.  She stumbled and fell, skinning her knees on the gravel, hands smacking hard on the ground to catch her fall.  

            "Hiro!"

            It was Rin calling him, and he had never heard her so terrified.  He could make it if he ran now.  He could make it safe to the main house, safe with Rin.  It was only a few paces away.  But he couldn't leave Kisa.  He would never forgive himself.

            "Let her go!  Kisa!" 

            He leapt back the way he had come, striking Kisa's attacker in the face with the full force of his hand swung from the arm.  He shouted what sounded like a curse and released her hair. She raised her head, tears streaming from her eyes.

            "Run, Kisa!" he shouted, and tried to strike again, but the other man was aware of him now.

            There were other robed men coming up the alley now.  The one he had hit grabbed him by the arm, holding him back however he fought, but he was still between them in Kisa.  He kicked and cursed, yelling at Kisa to run, until his attacker wrenched his arm painfully.  Gasping, he straightened on his toes in pain, his eyes watering.  He thought the bones must be snapping.  Kisa cried out, not running away, but coming to him, screaming, "I give up!  Stop it!  I give up!"  Hiro struggled more feebly, his arm aching, his lungs out of breath.  Kisa clutched at his other, limp hand as robed men surrounded them on all sides, burying her face in his shoulder.  He stopped moving, stopped struggling, standing still as more rows of men crammed around them in the alley. 

             Bewilderment coursed through him as he looked up over Kisa's head at Rin's face watching them through the window in the door.  Her eyes were wide, her mouth agape.  Hiro did not shout, but he looked at her for a long time and mouthed "Shigure,"  "Momiji," and "get away" over and over as he was led backward.  She seemed to understand, all the blood draining from her face.  He hoped she had gotten inside before she was seen.  He squeezed Kisa's hand and she looked up at him. He didn't say anything. He was happy to be allowed to hold her hand.   The pure fright was gone from her face, replaced by something more like resignation, though she trembled like a leaf.  

            Whatever his expression was, she seemed to take comfort in it because she stopped shaking as they were led quietly along.

*****

            "Wait a minute," said Kyo.

            Tohru stopped short and Uo and Hana turned to look back at the cat pacing along behind them.

            "I'm not going to be able to get used to this," Uo said, rubbing a hand through her hair.  

            Kyo sat on his haunches and glared at her.  "Hey, nobody asked you to get involved!"

            Tohru swallowed.  They had been walking slowly through the wood, partly because they were all out of breath and partly because they didn't know what they were doing.  They hadn't been chased and she didn't understand why, but she was hoping that they were safe.  She was so scared she could hardly think, but at the same time most of her fears were for the Sohmas.  The thought of anything awful happening to any of them made her want to throw up.  The Curse was awful enough, but not so awful that she could ever leave them.  They were her family, her adoptive family, and she would feel so lost if something happened to them.  She had lost so much already.  She was going to hold onto this!

            "Just say what you were going to say," Uo snapped.

            Kyo looked away from them over his shoulder, his tail swishing agitatedly. "I'm going to need some clothes," he said, and sounded embarrassed.

            "Huh?" Uo said.  "Oh, I see."  She laughed.  "Well tough luck.  We can't go back to the house.  I promise your scrawny ass won't frighten me."  Kyo's ears flattened and his tail swishing increased.

            "Yes," Hana said.  "Just go naked."

            "I'm not going anywhere naked!" Kyo bellowed.

            Tohru almost laughed, but quickly put a hand to her mouth to stifle it.  

            "Can you stay a cat?" Hana asked him.  "Or perhaps we could make you some clothes from our skirts?"

            "Yeah, or sew together some fig leaves," Uo chortled.  

            "Oh forget it!" Kyo hollered.  

            "Um, Kyo?" Tohru whispered.  He turned his glare on her.  "Maybe…" She swallowed.  "Maybe you shouldn't come with us."

            "What are you talking about?"

            Tohru blushed.  "Well, they're after you and the Main House might be dangerous.  If you hide, we could go and make sure everything's all right and…"

            "Oh yeah?" he interrupted.  "And what if it's not all right?  Who's going to take care of you then?  You'd probably walk right into a cage if I let you go alone!"

            "She's not alone, Orange-top," Uo snapped.  "And you had better watch your attitude."

            Kyo bounded ahead of them.  "I'm going and that's final," he muttered.

            Tohru watched him walk ahead of them as they all continued forward, his tail straight up in the air and his paws padding softly on the underbrush.   He wanted to take care of her, he said, but she couldn't help feeling that it was more than that, that Kyo was worried about his family as much as she was, even if he was an outcast.  Kyo pretended that he didn't care about everyone, but…  She knew he did.  Otherwise he wouldn't get so angry.  She just didn't want to see him captured.

            Tohru had tucked the blue flower in the pocket of her sweater jacket and she touched it absent-mindedly.  She didn't know how it worked but it had saved Kyo and her once, so maybe it would come in handy again.   She had to believe that there was something she could do, even if she didn't feel brave or useful at all.

            Hana stopped suddenly.  "Someone's approaching us," she said, pointing straight ahead.

            "What?"  Uo asked.  "Who?"

            "Belduine's electric signal."

            Kyo's ears pricked up.  "What are you talking about?  There's no way.  Unless they let him go…"

            But before he could finish, a figure that Tohru recognized as Belduine appeared ahead of them, trotting toward them along the leaf-ridden trail that led from Shigure's house to the main streets.  He stopped running when saw them, regarding them briefly from a distance, and then continued at more of a determined walk, as if letting them get used to his approach.

            Kyo arched his back and hissed.

            When Belduine drew closer he stopped, blinking at each of them.  The expression on his face was more serious than the cherub-like innocence Tohru remembered before he had been taken him away.  Feeling bad, she unconsciously looked him over for injuries, but he seemed healthy.  What caught her attention was the gleam of recognition in his eye when he looked at her.  She was certain he remembered them.

            "Come on," he said without greeting or explanation, and continued by them, waving a hand for them to follow him back the way they had come.

            "What?" Uo said as they all watched him pass.

            "Shigure's house was attacked by men in cloaks," Hana informed him.  "We just came from there."

            Belduine smiled in such a way as to indicate that this was not surprising information, but again he waved for them to follow.  "Where are you going to go instead?" he asked them.  "The Main House?  I wouldn't.  It would be crazy to do that. Come with me.  We need to get some supplies."

            "Now hold on a minute!" Kyo shouted.  "You…!  You!  What is it with you?  Are you one of them or are you helping us?"

            Belduine stopped, tilting his head to one side.  "EC trusts me, don't you EC?"

            It took Tohru a minute to realize he was talking to Hana, and only after she recalled him calling her his 'electrical cupcake.'  Strangely, Hana did not seem at all perturbed, nor did she refute what he had said.  Hana was always quick to voice her opinion when she disagreed.  In this case, she seemed inclined to remain silent.

            "Let's go back to Shigure's," Belduine said cheerily to all of them as a group.  "It's unlikely any of them would stick around after they lost track of you.  And you've still got my flower, right, pretty lady?"

            Tohru hurriedly withdrew the thing from her pocket.  "Y…yes!  Um.  What… what is it?"

            Belduine shrugged casually.  "I didn't make it.  I'm not really a magician.  But it should screen you from their scrying spells.  It does some other things too.  It has some protective castings on it and other stuff.  Did it help you any?"

            "Yes," Tohru replied in a hushed whisper.  

            At that moment hollow boom rocked the forest road as Kyo transformed back.  Flushing, Tohru kept her eyes pointed straight ahead.

            "I'll make you a deal," Belduine said to all of them.  "You do me a favor now and I'll do you a favor later, okay?"

            "No," Kyo's embarrassed voice declined.  "I don't trust you.  How is it that you are here anyway?  What happened at the Main House?"

            With a mischievous grin, Belduine bowed to them with a flourish, not respectfully, but like a performer.  "A great escape," he said grandly as he straightened.  "They didn't heed my warning, though.  Is Akito always that tightly wound?  He ordered my memory erased.  It's a good thing I'm warded against memory charms.   I wasn't sure it would work, but it did and I got out all right, so I'm not going to hold any grudges.   Your family was all right when I left incidentally, but I doubt they're still that way now."

            Tohru felt her heart clench with fear.  "What's happened to them?"

            "I don't know, but I felt Azaren approaching even before I left."

            "Azaren?"  Uo asked.

            "The Head Wizard, the right hand of the Esper herself.  He must have come himself.  That's not a good sign.  It means She wants the lot of you pretty badly.  Look, do you want to be any use to them or not?   You haven't listened to me in the past.  I advise that you start soon.  I might yet be able to salvage this, but we're going to need some supplies."

            "Salvage what?" Kyo demanded.

            "All the cursed people in your family becoming pets of the Esper.  What have I been talking about since I got here?"

            Kyo was silent for a moment, perhaps stunned by this news.  "What kind of supplies?"

            Belduine looked pleased, relaxing his stance.  "Well, clothes for you for starters.  And some other things we'll need for a long journey."

            Tohru wanted to ask "a journey to where?" but she didn't because she didn't think Belduine was going to tell her.  She wanted to turn around and look at Kyo, to see what expression he had on his face, to understand something of what she was thinking, but that wouldn't be polite.  Instead, she clasped her hands in front of her and tried not to imagine Kyo thinking naked in a forest with a bunch of girls who refused to look at him.  Well, she wasn't looking, at least.  She didn't know about Uo and Hana.  The thought brought a rush of heat to her face.

            "All right," Kyo voice came from behind her at last, slowly and uncertainly, "I suppose a plan couldn't hurt," but he sounded more resigned than convinced.

TBC

A/N:

Ah, that was four scenes and a decent overall size.  I am in trouble as far as my homework goes, though!  I hope it was worth it. The only way I'll know is if you tell me, so please write a review and let me know that you are reading (that I'm not wasting my time) and what you think of the story.  Even if you don't like the story I want to hear what you have to say.  Your comments are very much appreciated!

GrrlN:  Thank you very much for the review!  I think some of your questions were answered, but hopefully you have more!!  I'm always really pleased when you review so promptly.  It makes me feel warm and squishy inside.  Thank you very much! I hope you like the story!

Mizaya:  Ah, fuzzy, cute and cool.  I like it.  Thanks!  I have an essay to write.  I'm crazy for working on this.  Like seriously insane.  I'm going to flunk out of school. O_o   Well…probably not.  Heh heh.  Anyway, I'm glad Belduine and the Esper are interesting to you.  I don't want to give anything away, though.  Keep R/Ring.  And update Divine Interventions again!!  Okay, I'm greedy but that last chapter was really good!!!  I don't want to see Kyo locked away!  And the Yukiru scene! *squeals*

Calander:  Haha.  Your vehemence is wonderful.  I'm glad you're taking it seriously.  There's a lot of other stuff that you might find even more disturbing to come.  I hope you're interested.  I am trying to explain Akito.  "Getting" him might be important for the story.  Thank you very much!

R Junkie:  Ooh,  I'm really happy you came back!  I'm also glad you like the Akito scene.  That was my favorite scene to write too.  Funny how it works out that way.  I'm not going to say anything about Belduine, but I really like the guesses!  I'm also glad you liked Yuki's introspection.  I am very fond of Yuki.  

Melinda the Digimon Poet: I think I've been reading "Digimon pet" for some reason, but this time I realized it was "poet!" *chagrin*.  So sorry!  This update wasn't quite as fast, but oh well, I do what I can.  And you were right about the memory charm ^_~.

Merryday: Don't bite your nails too much!  I will feel badly!  No,  j/k.  Thank you very much for the review!!!  I really appreciate your effort to do that.  

Flirting with Incoherence:   You are so dependable!  Thank you very much for your review.  I hope you like my FB work as much as my GW work, though I find it difficult to keep track of so many characters!  But what a naughty little mind you have!  Kyo wouldn't do that.  ^_~  As for the "pairing," no, I'm afraid Belduine is straight.  He just tends to blurt out his thoughts when maybe he shouldn't, and we all know that Yuki IS pretty.  Heh heh.  

T-c3:  Oh no!  Please don't be lazy.  I spend so many hours of my free time writing and I really appreciate the feedback.  My HW level is sky high and I haven't started yet *sweatdrop.*  Anyway, I hope you continue reading the story even if you are not a fan of fantasy.  I like to break out of the stereotypes in some ways so I hope you can enjoy it.  Please keep R/Ring.  ^_^  I LOVED your review!

Sarlinia: That's a pretty name you've got if I haven't said it before.  I didn't exactly say what happened to Ritsu so don't give up hope on him!  And I'm so happy that you think I've got Akito down pretty well. He's really fun to write for some reason.  Hmm… cliffhangers are tough to avoid.  I hope you are still checking the fic and will read and review this new chapter!  

Emmi-chan: I'd be creeped out too!  Anyone invading your house would be nightmarishly freaky, and this is only going to get worse.  Thank you for reading!  I hope you come back!

KyraRiver:  By far and away my best review!  I hope and stew and wait for reviews such as these and it does so much for my confidence when I get them!  Thanks for writing such a wonderfully long review!  So you missed the last chapter, eh?  It doesn't do anything for my numbers, but the comments are what's really important so thank you _so_ much.  *bows down*  Belduine insinuates a lot of things.  That's all I'm going to say.  You got a little Momiji in this one!  He's still alive, don't worry, so you'll see more of him later.  I don't want to give too much away! ^_~


	10. A Plan to Assault

Ooh! I'm a little annoyed because I wanted to finish Part 1 with this chapter, but it's going to take one more chapter to complete. I shouldn't have divided 5 and 6! It's not like I got more of a response by doing that and I would have been happy with a nice round number like 10. ^_^ But oh well, no help for it now. Anyway, thanks for dropping by! Those who reviewed left such wonderful ones that I updated this story again before working on my other story. So thanks! Please read on! ^_^

Evermore

Chapter 10

By Zapenstap

"This is ridiculous," Tohru heard Kyo muttering at Belduine from behind her for the third or fourth time. "You're going to get us all killed. We're all going to be killed!"

Tohru realized she was chewing nervously on the end of her hair and hurriedly extracted it from her mouth. They were all on the edge of the forest, looking back toward the house and only a few footsteps from the yard. Belduine advocated strolling through what was left of the front door and simply getting what he thought they needed, but Kyo had forestalled any such plan with a sudden flood of questions and demands for reassurances. Tohru wasn't sure what to do so she just stopped walking, waiting anxiously while others fought it out. Her thoughts were mostly on what might be happening at the Main House. She couldn't chase the thought of Yuki in peril, and all of the Sohmas, out of her head. She didn't know what to do.

A little ways ahead, Uo and Hana were crouched in the bushes, squatting like two toadstools side by side, skirts pulled over their knees and peering at Shigure's house from the safety of the foliage as dusk deepened the color of the sky. When Belduine and Kyo had started to argue, Uo got caught up in the excitement and had volunteered to "scout ahead" with Hana. Belduine had cast one amused glance at the two girls creeping through the bracken before Kyo started berating him with inquiries but hadn't said ay or nay to either of them. Watching everyone else passively, Tohru grew increasingly more and more fretful by the second. Running into Belduine had made her feel better at first, but she was starting to get the idea that Belduine wasn't terribly good at making decisions. Though he was adamant that they needed supplies, he seemed hesitant to actually tell anyone what to do. Even though he must have a better idea of what was going on than they, he was secretive, dodging Kyo's questions glibly, which was clearly driving Kyo's limited amount of patience and hyper-extending his trust. 

"It's not my plan to get you killed," Belduine told Kyo with an air of sincerity. "I really hope that doesn't happen."

"Really _hope_…!? Geez, you've got to be _kidding_ me."

Tohru still refused to turn around and look at Kyo, but she imagined him with his hands clenched and his shoulders hunched and his teeth gritted as he fought to contain an explosion. She tried not to imagine him that way naked. Instead, she stared fixedly ahead with her face turned toward the house and her feet planted firmly together, adamant that under no circumstances would she turn around. She felt her face heating up and set her mouth grimly. It was hard not looking at him simply because she was used to being able to read his moods in his face and body language, but she just _couldn't_ turn around when he wasn't wearing any clothes! That no one else seemed half so particular to her notions of privacy and modesty only made it worse.

"Do you want me to check the house out alone first?" Belduine suggested. "I think can manage to get in and out without being noticed even if they are there."

"I still don't know if I trust you!" Kyo snapped.

"Well, what do you want me to _do_ then?" Belduine's tone almost made him seem perplexed.

"Hey, guys," Uo's voice came back to them suddenly. She spoke in an excited whisper, ignoring the verbal battle, and waved at them without looking in their direction. Her not-looking had nothing to do with Kyo's nakedness, Tohru was sure. Uo was just intent on whatever she was watching; Tohru thought now that both her friends had looked at Kyo. Feeling her own cheeks flaming, Tohru tried desperately to pay attention. "There's definitely something going on in there," Uo was saying. "I can see shadows moving around and I totally thought I saw someone a second ago."

Belduine walked up on Tohru's left, his head cocked to one side like a sparrow inspecting a bread crumb. "There's somebody there?" He sounded genuinely surprised. 

"I don't feel any strange vibes," Hana murmured. 

"Does magic feel different to you, EC?" Belduine asked her curiously. "Can you sense it? That might be useful."

Hana turned her empty, liquid eyes on him and he seemed to grow gradually uncomfortable under her stare. "Yes and no," she whispered in a detached tone. "Magic must somehow affect the psyche of those who wield it of I don't think I could. It just gives me a headache. "

"Well that's something anyway," Belduine said positively.

Hana smiled. "You are a little different," she added, and Belduine started in surprise. "You're not like them, but you're also not like us. The air around the others almost seems to…vibrate; a very unnatural electric signal. It's unpleasant. With you there is a resonance, like an echo of something, softer, but still of the same tenor. Quiet, but more fluid. I have difficulty explaining." 

Belduine blinked and shifted uncomfortably. Tohru couldn't tell for the life of her if this information made any sense to him or not. It made very little sense to her. She found herself smiling stupidly out of sheer anxiety.

A commotion from inside Shigure's house brought all their attention back around. 

"I'm going to go see," Belduine said. "You guys can stay here if you want."

"Hey!" Kyo shouted, but it was too late. Belduine bounded ahead of them, squeezing between the trees and trotting off toward the house with a fleet-footed grace. Tohru could practically hear Kyo fuming in the background. Upon reaching the edge of the house, Belduine slowed down and Tohru almost lost sight of him as he slipped into the lengthening shadows cast by the structure and the trees surrounding it, his shape becoming a vague form sliding along the wall. He tarried a moment, pacing back and forth, and then abruptly jumped up onto the deck and disappeared inside, never once stopping or turning to look back at them.

They waited breathlessly for several minutes.

"This is crazy," Tohru heard Kyo muttering from a little closer behind her. "Absolutely crazy."

She turned to look at him before she thought, meaning to say something encouraging, to give Belduine the benefit of the doubt, but completely lost her words when she remembered why she had been trying so hard _not_ to turn around. Seeing Kyo naked, she forgot all her words. She didn't mean to see. She saw his face too, and knew that he was even more embarrassed than she was by the way his eyes bugged out of his head when he saw her looking, how his skin flushed deep scarlet. She shut her eyes immediately, blotting out all vision before he could move, flushing to her hairline, and banged her forehead with both of her fists. "Oh, I'm such an idiot!" she squealed. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I didn't see _anything_. It was completely an accident!" It was a lie, though. She saw, but she roughly folded and filed that visual memory away in a box and slammed the lid shut before her brain could fully process it. It hadn't been the first time she had claimed to "almost" see something when she actually _had_ seen it, but the visual became blurred if she was determined enough, and she forced herself to believe she had shut her eyes just in time. 

"Tohru, you really need to calm down," Uo told her candidly. "Honestly. I'm serious."

"Yes. How do you ever expect to get married, Tohru?" Hana whispered.

__

Married? Tohru covered her face with her hands. She knew what they really meant. "Oh. Well I… I mean…"

"Hey, he's coming back out," Uo said, cutting her off. 

Tohru turned resolutely away from Kyo and pulled her hands down a little bit to peak out at what was happening. Belduine had appeared again on the deck and was waving to them with his full arm.

"It seems all is well," Hana murmured.

"Yeah, for him at least," Uo said. "But do we trust him?"

Kagura Sohma appeared suddenly on the porch beside Belduine. Tohru's mouth dropped open in surprise. Belduine turned away from them and toward her, engaging her in animated conversation. Then, to everyone's surprise, he took her hand in his and lifted it up to kiss it. She seemed too astonished to object. 

"Of all the…!" Kyo sounded furious, so angry he forgot his embarrassment. Hearing his voice, Tohru flushed again as Kyo muttered a few choice words she couldn't quite catch. "Well, at least _she's _all right," he said begrudgingly. "But what is she doing here? Of all the useless…"

"Great," Uo said, straightening out of her crouch and brushing off her skirt. "Glad that's settled. Seems it's all safe. I vote we go in."

"A good idea," Hana agreed.

"Um, yeah," Tohru said shakily. "I'll…I'll get you some clothes, Kyo." She scrambled forward.

Kyo stayed behind in the woods as Tohru, Uo and Hana picked their way out of the woods, but she could almost feel his eyes boring into her back as they crossed over the yard to the porch.

"You have very pretty eyes," Belduine was saying expressively to Kagura. "They remind me of the sea in cloudy weather. Have you ever been on a ship at sea? I know a very grand lake where I can get us a boat and…"

"Hey, loverboy," Uo interrupted. "What took you so long to give the okay?"

Belduine jumped when Uo spoke, released Kagura's hand (it fell limply—she still looked shocked) and grinned up at Uo like a boy whose mother had caught him stealing cookies. "Sorry," he said, and Tohru suddenly had the impression that Uo was the kind of personality that had a disciplinary impact Belduine, the rough-shod, abrasive, self-motivated leadership type that refused to be daunted or stopped by anything. He seemed sincerely contrite around her. "I got a little distracted. You all know Kagura Sohma, right?"

"Of course!" Tohru said with a welcoming smile. Kagura's answering smile had a bit of a strain in it.

"We've met," Hana murmured.

Belduine leaned in around the doorframe, peering into the house. "Hey, Ritsu. Come out, okay? I promise it's safe."

Tohru felt her stomach flip over. "Ri…Ritsu? Ritsu Sohma? What is he doing here? How? And Kagura…?"

Kagura looked over her shoulder, surveying the house as she turned in a slow circle. She wore her cat-shaped backpack over a green cardigan sweater and a yellow dress, soft brown leather boots molded tightly around her calves just under the knee. Her eyes blinked in worry as she took in the damage done to the front of the house where the magicians had ripped through the paper doors. Even some of the heftier wood was gaping in chunks, giving the house an appearance of having been destroyed and then abandoned. This close, the area felt ghostlike. Tohru shivered unconsciously, unable to process all her thoughts and feelings. Having Kagura and Ritsu appear safe so suddenly made her feel a little better, but what about Yuki? What was happening up at the Main House with Yuki and Shigure and everyone else? The presence of Kagura and Ritsu just made those gaps seem greater.

"I came to visit Kyo," Kagura said slowly. "I was worried about him with all that's been happening."

"The Main House," Tohru blurted. "Is everyone safe?"

"I don't know," Kagura said slowly. "Shouldn't it be? What's happened here? I couldn't figure out where everyone had gone. I had such a bad feeling. And then Ritsu showed up and has been telling me the wildest story…"

"I was attacked!"

Tohru jumped as Ritsu appeared out of nowhere, popping into the doorway and shouting practically in her ear before shuffling the rest of the way out onto porch. Uo and Hana regarded him with equally assessing stares, taking in the form of a man dressed in a woman's kimono with his hair long and gathered back like a girl's blankly. Belduine slipped past them and inside the house. Tohru could hear him rummaging around on the main floor and didn't question what he was up to. What Ritsu had to say was filling up all the thinking places in her head.

"Attacked?" Tohru breathed, and her stomach began to churn.

"Men in green cloaks," Ritsu whispered in a softly dramatic, feminized voice. "They came to the Hot Spring resort. They hurt my mom…" His eyes shimmered with tears, his lower lip quivering. "I got away. I don't know how I did it! They grabbed me and walked me out the door and then I just screamed and ran…"

Tohru took in Ritsu's confused account of the incident feeling a trifle stunned. For all his confessed lack of ability, Ritsu was amazingly agile and she wasn't surprised that if there was one thing he was good at, it was running away from danger. Not that Ritsu was a coward precisely. Considering how low his confidence was, he had shown remarkable tenacity in the past and it was truly amazing that he had been able to escape. 

Belduine came back out of the house carrying a bundle of mixed clothes. Coming to herself, Tohru remembered what she was supposed to be doing and immediately helped Belduine sort out the bundle, separating Yuki and Shigure's things from Kyo's. Tohru was a little surprised that Kagura didn't seem to want to help. She appeared too bewildered, her eyes continuing to stray toward the house even when Tohru assured her that Kyo was all right. "What about the others?" she murmured, still unusually serious, and Tohru felt an echoing pang resonate in her chest.

No one answered her, and the silence was answer enough.

"I'm glad you're all right," Tohru whispered to Kagura and Ritsu.

"Starting packing," Belduine suggested. "The sooner we can get out of here the better."

Belduine took clothes out to Kyo while the rest of them headed inside, spurned by a new sense of urgency. The living room was a mess, the table overturned, the tatami mats pulled up and cards scattered about the floor. With her thoughts in a haze, Tohru went immediately to the kitchen, unconsciously thinking from habit that everyone must be hungry. Following Belduine's advice, the others immediately emptied their school backpacks of their notebooks and papers and filled them instead with the supplies they guessed they might need. Nobody seemed motivated to fill Ritsu in on the details of what they were doing, but he seemed to understand without an explanation and acted as an errand boy, directed by the others to fetch various items. Kagura timidly questioned Hana, and by the look on her face, what she heard frightened her considerably. Tohru brought out snacks from the fridge with numb fingers, handing it to her friends as they worked, and listened with half an ear as Uo badgered Ritsu again for his story. Maybe he was still shaken up from the incident, but Ritsu's relating of events the second time made no more sense than the first, and Tohru simply could not concentrate. She was still shaken up herself. 

"How did you get here so fast, though?" Uo said, folding up a blanket and trying to squeeze it into Yuki's backpack that someone had fetched from upstairs. "This Sohma Hot Spring Resort. It doesn't sound like it's in town."

"I don't know!" Ritsu cried timidly, wringing his hands. "They took hold of me and I just went along. I am a coward, I know; I was so scared! We walked out the front door and I swear we were somewhere else, somewhere near the Honke. I recognized the buildings. I panicked. I don't understand what happened! I beg you to please forgive me, though I know I don't deserve to be forgiven! I think maybe I fainted when I was kidnapped. That would be like me. I couldn't really have just walked through a door. That must sound so stupid! I'm sorry! I'm such a weak fool."

Belduine returned at the end of this speech with Kyo on his heels. With his hand stuffed in his pockets, Kyo didn't look in Tohru's direction, his head lowered and his cheeks tinged faintly pink. Belduine moved about with quick, efficient and determined energy. "You didn't faint," he assured Ritsu. "Azaren would have used the Key. The Key opens doors to other places. It's how we all managed to come here in the first place. That's probably how they left this house too, though there may be more than one group. 

__

We'll never be safe, Tohru thought absently, _as long as they have something like that_. 

"Kyo," Kagura whispered, shrugging off her cat-bag and kneeling on the floor with it. "I came because I wanted to talk with you and make sure you were all right. How…how is your injury?"

"Huh?" Kyo looked up at her, blinking. "Oh, yeah." He touched his side gently. "You know, it's really not that bad. I'd actually forgotten about it. It healed really fast. It's barely there at all now." Tohru saw Belduine eye Kyo sideways, but he said nothing. "What did you want to talk about?" Kyo asked Kagura. "I thought we talked enough."

Kagura lowered her chin. "Oh… Um, nothing important, I guess. It doesn't matter now. I'm just glad you're feeling better, that you haven't…" She trailed off.

"Hey, let's finish packing and go," Belduine broke in. "There's no time to waste, right?"

Kyo actually looked relieved that he didn't have to answer Kagura, glancing down at his wrist with a strange _expression.

"Right," Uo muttered. Her backpack couldn't hold anything else. She stood, slinging it over her shoulder. "What we need now is a plan!" 

"You should pack some food," Belduine told Tohru, kneeling on the floor with a pile of items he had raided from various drawers and nooks in the house on his own. He waved Kagura over and she knelt beside him, holding her cat bag open for Belduine to fill. "Whatever won't spoil, and warm clothes, cloaks if you have them. I don't suppose you've got any weapons? Probably not, the way you fight with your hands."

Kyo lifted his eyes. "Where are we going again?"

"Yeah, are we going to Evermore?" Uo demanded. "Because I want to give this Esper a piece of my mind."

"Yeah," Kyo echoed. "If there's some way we can…"

"The Esper is very dangerous," Belduine interrupted, shaking his head. "The main thing is to make sure that she can't get all of you who are Cursed together in one place. Even if she gets some of you, it's better than the alternative. We can't afford to let all of you get captured. The magicians will transport whoever they catch to the Holdings as soon as they lay hands on them. If she ever has you all together she can do… things, things through your curse that you won't like. I'm going to try to keep that from happening, but you'll never get free if she manages to get all of you."

"Wait a minute," Tohru whispered. She had begun filling her backpack with food goods as Belduine had suggested, but her hands faltered as what Belduine was saying began to make sense to her. "You mean to save the others, right? Not just us? Everyone at the Main House? Yuki and Shigure… If they're in danger…"

"It's probably too late for them," Belduine said brusquely. "I don't think you can help."

A moment of shocked silence halted activity.

"What?" Uo said angrily. "How can you…? You never meant for us to help them?"

Kagura hands relaxed their grip on the bag. Belduine simply took it from her limp fingers and continued to fill it without looking at the rest of them. When he finished, he handed it to Kagura and stood up. Kagura took it absently, staring at nothing with wide eyes. "But everyone is at the Main House," she said. "Akito. Yuki. Momiji. Hiro and Kisa. Rin. Haru. Hatori. Shigure. Kureno…"

Arisa's head jerked with the utterance of that last name. Her body stiffened and then she grimaced. "Right. It's not the same guy. No way…"

"Oh no," Tohru whispered, and trembled as tears threatened to well up in her eyes. She wasn't sure what made her speak or why she was crying, but as soon as it slipped out she clapped both hands over her mouth. She bowed over where she knelt on the floor, plastic-wrapped rice balls and boxes of crackers scattered around by her knees. "Oh, Uo. Please don't hate me! There isn't time to explain, but I…Kureno Sohma is…." She couldn't stop a few tears from falling. She was shaking so hard she couldn't think. Abandon them?

Arisa stared at her with something like shock, and then anger stole across her face as she turned on Belduine. "Now, you listen here, kid! We're going to that Main House! I am anyway, if for no other reason than I have to know something. Do you hear me?"

Belduine raised his hands defensively, backing up a few paces as Uo advanced. "Hey, look, it's not that I…"

"You can't think that I'm going to run and go hide somewhere," Kyo said indignantly. "If the Yankee's going, I'm going too!"

"Me too!" Kagura chimed in.

"No, wait," Belduine said. "This isn't the best idea. It would be better if I..."

"Don't you have any special magic powers of your own to help us battle this out?" Arisa demanded. "Why can't you just help us? Are you scared or something? Maybe you're used to running but these are our friends and family! Do you think we'll only go on the offensive if we're sure to win? Is that your style? Stabbing unsuspecting victims but not down for a real rumble, is that it?"

"I'm just a messenger," Belduine said, and it was the first time he had sounded angry to Tohru. "I used to be a thief. What would you care to know about it anyway? I don't fight for fun. I don't want to _rumble_. I'm just telling you that I don't think this is the best idea." He shifted from foot to foot, fingers playing with the sleeves of his shirt as he took several deep breaths. "Look, don't be rash, all right? This isn't an army you've got here and you'd need one to _battle_ Azaren as you put it."

"We've got an army of seven, and Hana counts for a couple if she's up to it. How many of these magicians can there be? We have to try. And I think you've got powers you're not sharing. Plus that flower. It's useful, wherever the hell you got it from since you claim you're not magician enough to make it. Not _enough_, though, right? So what _can_ you do? I'm with Kyo. I don't trust you. You've been holding back on us from the beginning."

Belduine remained stubbornly silent, bright eyes set in a face full of disapproval, but not complete opposition.

"Hana?" Arisa asked. "Are you up to this?"

Hana hesitated, turning her head slightly, her eyes strangely sorrowful. "I don't know. Shocking Minami and those fan girls is one thing. But what you are suggesting… I don't think I can let myself do anything like that."

Arisa was shaking, her fists clenched, her eyes glassy, but she did not object. "You're right. I'm sorry. Whatever you think you can do, Hana, I'd be grateful." Tohru wrung her hands where she knelt on the floor, watching, deep, expression-twisting emotions chase each other across her friend's face in quick succession. Arisa's eyes lowered, filled with something sad and desperate that Tohru could not define. If she was thinking about Kureno…

"I'll help," Tohru said, getting to her feet. For Uo, for Yuki, for all of the Sohmas. Her family. How could she not? "I… I don't know what we're up against, but if the others can't be saved I don't want to be saved either."

"But you don't _have_ to save them," Belduine began, and stomped his foot petulantly. "EC…"

A crash sounded as the front door was flung open. 

Everyone turned as one, terror setting into the marrow of their bones, replaced instantly by shock as a figure loomed largely in the doorway, drawing all eyes.

"Shigure! You won't _believe_ how good business was today! I have just been commission to make the most wonderful things! Your eyes are going to drop right out of your head when you see the designs! I even brought some fabric samples over so you could help me decide! I tried to call Hatori but he wasn't answering his phone! Can you believe it? I can't wait to see the look on his face! Oh _my_, what_ever _have you done with the house? Have the fights gotten this bad? I _thought_ you told me they were getting better. I'm most disappointed. The Main House won't pay for this, you can be sure of it! How is my dear little brother supposed to feel safe in a building without proper walls!? Shigure! Shigure?"

Tohru's mouth fell open. Uo backed off Belduine in surprise. Even Hana look slightly startled. 

"What are _you_ doing here?" Kyo demanded angrily, throwing an accusing finger at the red-robed figure coming through the door.

"That…That's Ayame Sohma," Tohru said breathlessly for Uo and Hana's benefit. 

Ritsu had shrunk into the corner, his eyes as round as plates, timidly staring at Ayame with something close to reverence. Kagura just blinked. Ayame turned toward them, his eyes fluttering open and shut as his gaze swept the room, noting their stuffed bags, the mess, their aggressive stances and the things littering the floor.

"Whatever is going on here?" Ayame said. "I haven't heard a _thing_ about this. Not a thing! What a strange group you are! I've never seen half of you in my life! Who is the shifty little kid the blonde looks like she wants to bite? He reminds me of some kind of furtive little animal. I don't know why. Tohru, you can't possibly eat that many riceballs, though I'm sure they're perfectly lovely and good for you. And Kyo!" he gasped. "What did you do to the house? Where is Yuki?"

"_Me_?" Kyo bellowed. "I didn't do _anything_ to it! Where the hell have _you_ been?"

"Eight," Arisa said vehemently before Ayame could reply. "That's eight." Her eyes narrowed and her fists clenched. "If no one else will take charge here, I will." She turned toward Ayame. "Hey, you, have you been to the Main House? Do you know Kureno? Good looking guy, kinda klutzy?"

"Kureno?" Ayame blinked dramatically. "What does any of this have to do with _Kureno_? I hardly ever see him. If Akito keeps him practically tethered to his leg, it's none of my concern. What I want to know is where Yuki has got to. And Shigure. I did try to call before I came. He shouldn't go anywhere without telling me!"

Kyo looked positively withered. "Our army can't get any more annoying! Why _these_ people?" He threw an accusing arm to include the blank-faced Kagura and sheep-eyed Ritsu. 

"Any objections?" Arisa said. "We have to work with what we got or give up and run like Belduine suggests."

Kyo let his arm fall with a sigh. "No," he said more somberly, a strange, resigned expression on his face.

"I still think you should reconsider this," Belduine urged. "This isn't the best idea."

"Help us or don't!" Arisa snapped.

"I don't understand what's going on," Ayame complained pleasantly. 

"We'll explain on the way," Arisa said with a determined growl. "Everyone grab a bag."

Tohru got to her feet, stowing the last of the food wares into her backpack. She was glad that somebody was taking charge, even if Uo was a bit…abrupt about it. The others grabbed their things and fell in behind her. Belduine was left in the entryway, trailing slowly after them, an unhappy, conflicting expression stiffening his face. Tohru was torn. She really felt that Belduine was on their side, but Yuki and the rest of the Sohmas were in danger and she couldn't imagine not going to help them. They were all Tohru could think about. Belduine might not understand how important they were to her and everyone. If she lost her nerve now she risked losing her only remaining family. Her mother would have been stronger. She had to be strong too.

Once they were outside again, Tohru shivered. The sky had gotten dark. Night was falling and a cover of gray clouds obscured the light of the stars.

*****

Yuki raced through the twisting hallways of the inner complex, calling for Haru, Rin, Momiji, Kureno and anyone else who might still be inside. He had tried to find Shigure, but the writer had been too fast for him. Where he had gone, Yuki had no idea, but he wasn't going to worry about it. Akito's order was twisting him up. Find them. Bring them all to me. Yuki had never felt so strange. His head ached. He didn't want to think about what was happening.

He stumbled upon Haru suddenly. The white and black-haired Cow was sitting dejectedly on the three steps that led down to the main entryway. He sat with his boots spread wide apart and his elbows looped loosely over his knees, hand hanging. His expression was sad, thoughts moving slowly and wearily behind pale ice eyes that stared down at nothing.

"Haru," Yuki whispered, slowing to a stop.

"Hi, Yuki," Haru replied. "It's good of you to come find me. I could use someone to talk to."

Rin. Yuki didn't have to ask. The conclusion just leaped to him logically. He didn't always understand Haru's relationship with Rin, but he knew how she affected Haru's emotions. Their relationship had always seemed rocky to him, confused and painful and complicated. He wasn't sure if it was the curse or the personalities involved but in observing it, there was a part of him that felt he wasn't ready to deal with something like that. He tried not to think much about it. It was likely he would never have that kind of relationship anyway.

It didn't matter right now.

"Haru, do you know where she went?"

"She said she needed some fresh air," Haru murmured, and turned his face up to look at the ceiling. "She meant she needed some space away from me. Do you think I should go look for her? You always seem to think so. But with Rin, sometimes it's better to just…"

"No, you don't understand," Yuki cut in. "Akito has summoned us, all of us, everyone, even Kyo if we could find him. Something terrible is happening. Ritsu was taken at the Hot Spring Resort by strangers we think are Belduine's magicians. Shigure called…"

"What?" Haru breathed. He got immediately to his feet, his _expression altering in the blink of an eye.

"They might be in the Honke already," Yuki continued. "We're supposed to stay inside. If Rin…"

Something rocked the building, like an earthquake slamming it from the side. The floor and walls and ceiling shook and rattled, dust rising in clouds in the air. Yuki stumbled against the wall, losing his balance, choking on his words and coughing as he swallowed air and dust the wrong way. Haru fell on one knee, bracing his knuckled against the floorboards until the shaking stopped as abruptly as it had begun.

Regaining his balance, Hatsuharu grabbed Yuki by the shoulders, steadying him until his coughing fit had passed. "Are you all right?" he asked worriedly. 

Yuki nodded. _What was that? _"It's not asthma. I just swallowed something wrong. What about Rin?"

Haru didn't answer. He just got to his feet and raced down the steps. Yuki made to follow, but stopped when Rin came running toward them from the opposite direction. Her _expression was grimly set, her luminous dark eyes wide and wild, hair lashing out around her face and pouring messily down her shoulders and back. She saw Haru standing in front of her and something in her expression abruptly changed, her emotions fragmenting, fear replaced by relief, determination by distress, desperation by need.

Yuki watched from the landing as Rin flung herself bodily into Haru's chest. She seemed to melt into him, shrinking as her arms wrapping around his back and he engulfed her completely and protectively. Her eyes shimmered with frightened, unshed tears and at first she refused to speak, holding Haru close to her, but gradually she released him, allowing him to touch her cheek softly with the back of his fingers and then to kiss her comfortingly. Yuki felt a stab in his gut as he watched, something like shame and jealousy and longing that he could neither understand nor describe. He wished and he hoped and he feared and he dreaded and didn't know what to do with any of those feelings.

"What's wrong?" Haru whispered. "What's happened?"

"They're coming," Rin said quickly, and her voice was thick with emotion. She looked pale. "Strange men have taken them, kidnapped them. My Hiro and your Kisa! I saw them taken just now, right behind us, outside in the middle of the street, with light enough to see by."

Yuki's heartbeat quickened. They were here. He saw Haru's blank expression shatter and tried to still the buzzing in his own head. They had to go. They had to find as many as they could and go to Akito. Right now. There wasn't time to be scared. _Think_, _damn you, think!_

"And Momiji," Rin continued. "Hiro said his name. He saw me in the window. He told me to go inside, to run away. Haru, I was awful to him the other day! I called him a child. I pushed him away. And now I'm so scared for him I can hardly think. And Shigure too! He said Shigure's name. _Shigure_. He's an adult…sort of. I just didn't think… I never would have imagined…"

Haru pulled her in close, smothering her against his chest, quieting her as he stared blankly over her head. She was shaking, but Haru was anything but calm. He seemed too frightened even to go Black.

Yuki couldn't think. He tried, but his thoughts were like driftwood mired in a bog. Shigure. Shigure taken? Was that even possible to believe that anything could ever happen to Shigure? And Hiro and Kisa and Momiji. Who was left? Where were Kagura and Kureno? What about Ayame? He felt a stab of fear that made him suddenly nauseous. His brother, whether they got along or not, was still his brother, and he really had been _trying_ to bridge that gap. If something could happen to Shigure, an adult as Rin said… He still couldn't believe it.

"Akito," he forced out, plowing through his confusion, forcing himself to reassemble. "We have to go to Akito. Is there anyone left in here? Where did Kureno go? Where is Kagura?"

"Kagura went out," Rin said. "She left before that boy was brought in. Maybe she was taken on the street. Maybe she got away. I… I never really liked her, but now I…" She trembled. "I'm such a horrible person."

Haru hushed her with a finger against her lips. She quieted, steadying herself with her hands flat on his chest, and he kissed her forehead reassuringly, holding her gently by the waist. Yuki looked away.

Akito was watching from further down the hallway. Yuki gasped audibly.

"Is this what you do when I'm not watching?" Akito murmured. His voice cut the air like a knife, slicing through the silence with sharp, metallic quality.

Yuki felt his blood freeze. Haru and Rin disengaged from another as if burned, each turning in opposite directions and hiding their faces. Yuki started when he felt Akito's slim fingers clutch at his shoulder, the pressure threatening to push him down as Akito hung on him. "Akito," Yuki whispered. "It's not…"

"I asked you to gather everyone," Akito murmured. "Even the stupid and useless ones. Clumsy." Haru and Rin both flinched. Akito's grip on Yuki's shoulder lightened, but just when he was about to breathe easier he was pushed roughly aside, the force of the shove causing him to stumble a few steps to the left. Akito flowed past him and down the steps toward Haru and Rin. Haru raised his head, staring at Akito as if spellbound, his face broken with emotion. Rin held herself, clutching her arms and staring down at her feet, fighting it seemed, to hold back tears.

Akito smiled almost pleasantly. He ignored Rin as if she were garbage rotting in his path, and instead moved close to Haru, reaching up to touch the taller man's cheek fondly. But there was something in his eyes that belied the gesture as well as the expression, and Yuki knew from experience that Akito's touch was poisonous.

"Come with me now," Akito said. "We'll talk about this," he moved nothing but his eyes, and those shifted to Rin's huddled form, "but later."

When Akito turned and strode quickly away, they could do nothing but follow. Yuki felt his heart plummet as Rin stumbled after them. Haru tried to speak to her, but she shook her head violently, falling back behind him. "It's my fault," he heard her say. "I'm not worth it." And she wouldn't budge, despite Haru's objections. Yuki knew Rin was strong, at least on the outside. And before her, Kana had fallen, and Kisa too. Yuki didn't think it possible that there was anyone out there with her eye on a Sohma who was audacious enough to stand up to Akito. He didn't want Tohru to try. 

Yuki strode ahead of Haru and Rin, eating up the distance Akito had made between them swiftly. Akito's eyes slid to the corners with Yuki's approach, and he grimaced, but said nothing. Yuki sweated as he fought to speak. "Akito, Isuzu told is that the magicians have taken Momiji and Hiro and Kisa and…"

At that moment they emerged into the open room Akito had sent him from earlier to find it occupied by more than just Hatori.

"...Shigure," Yuki breathed.

"What do you mean?" Akito had turned to look at him when he began to rattle off names and did not see at first what Yuki saw. Akito's face had paled visibly when Yuki relayed what Rin had told him, the flicker in his eyes a cross between anger and fear. When Yuki whispered Shigure's name, Akito's eyes widened visibly, but then he caught Yuki's stare and turned to look at what had grabbed his attention.

The tiger curled up in the middle of the room was not Kisa transformed. Mammoth in size, its tail lashed back and forth fitfully, its ears laid back against its skull as it let out a low rumbling growl. The gray-haired man who reached down to sooth it was the only man in the room with his hood thrown back. Others lined the walls, an eerie entourage of silent, hooded, menacing figures. Akito's eyes darted from the man in the middle of the room to the tiger to where Hatori was kneeling at the feet of two men in the corner, his hands behind his back and his chin against his chest as if asleep.

Yuki fought to breathe. How did they get in here? When? What was wrong with Hatori? He remembered the boom that had rocked the building with a distinctive chill.

Yuki grunted as Akito shoved him backward and stepped alone and angry into the room. Yuki caught himself from falling by grabbing the edge of the doorway, and without looking at Haru and Rin, held out a hand behind the wall to stop them from coming any closer. "Akito," he whispered urgently.

He was ignored. "Who are you?" Akito asked in those especially cool tones that barely restrained a swirling storm of fitful emotions.

The man with gray hair inclined his head with a plastic, secret smile twisting his lips, but said nothing. Golden runes marched up the front of his robe and around the edge of the wide, circular sleeves, and as he lifted a hand, the material fell back from his wrist to reveal similar runes tattooed into his hands. The tattoos were gold and shimmered under the lights streaming down from above, but even as Yuki watched the shimmer increased until the symbols on the man's hands glowed with a peculiar light. Yuki drew in his breath sharply as a sphere of white light appeared above the man's upturned palm, a sphere outlined in a shadow of black that pulsated to the rhythm of a heartbeat. Drawn to the light, Yuki could only stare, and slowly his eyes began to pierce through the shine until shapes within the sphere began to leap out at him.

He recognized the shapes immediately. They were the animals of the Zodiac, each a two-dimensional silhouette that pulsed with shadow in line from first to last, one to the next, the cat too. Some, he noticed, seemed different than the others. The Tiger, the Sheep, the Rabbit, the Dog and the Dragon all looked static in posture, and he knew why when the Rat appeared. He felt it in his body, like irons being clamped around his soul, like screws digging into his heart. He gasped and wilted at the door, but the magicians paid little attention to him. The one holding the sphere was staring at Akito, and when the images in the sphere passed over the shape of a rune Yuki did not recognize, something like satisfaction crept over the magician's face.

TBC

Coming up next: Arisa and Kureno? A climactic finish to Part One? I'm not giving details, but there's lots more to come. ^_^ Please stay tuned!

Extra-curricular reading (i.e. Thanks Yous and shameless petitioning):

Mizaya: Heya. It's cool hearing you call me zap. I wonder if I would respond to it in real life? I probably would! Yeah, I do like tigers. I'm trying out the tiger thing. We'll see how it goes. ^_^ I threw lots of naked Kyo in there, though just for you. And I'm personally very fond of electrical cupcake. I couldn't do without it! Hope you had a nice weekend! Thanks for reading!

The Great Thing: HI!!!! Welcome back. I'm sorry you are swamped with school work. I feel really behind so I can understand. Thank you for coming back, though! You are the best. I really appreciate it. I felt wonderful just seeing your name return and I honestly have nothing to complain about! I'm not sure I deserve the compliments you are throwing at me, but it makes me feel special and encourages me to continue, so thank you very much!! I can't say it enough.

Grrl N: You must have me on author alerts or something to be so prompt! That's really incredible. Thank you so much. I'm trying to keep the mystery interesting without being confusing, but I hope you're intrigued. I'm trying to move things along… Please bear with me and keep R/Ring!

Calendar: Thank you for reviewing! I really appreciate hearing from you. I like Hiro and Kisa a lot and it made me sad to hurt them, but there's some devilish delight mixed in there too. Just you'll just have to wait and see what I have in store… O_o Anyway, thank you very much and please keep reading!

Kyra Rivers Oh, wow! The only time I get a review this long is when I'm being flamed, the most recent one telling me not to write Fruits Basket fanfics coincidentally. *glowers* But you are not flaming me!!! I'm not worthy! Don't be shy about babbling. So long as it's relevant it's the most wonderful thing ever, like a special tonic just for my imagination. And it makes my heart happy too ^_^ Your review is one of the chief reasons I continued this story before my other one. You commented on so many things I could write a scene in the time it would take me to dissect them all, but I read your review at least five times so I'll try to live up to it! And don't worry. Momiji will be coming back ^_^. Stay tuned for when I actually get the cast to Evermore!

Sarlinia: I really love your reviews! They make me feel so good inside and it's quite inspiring. I wish I had more of Momiji in the story for you, but he's currently unconscious so you'll have to wait for him to wake up. He definitely has a part to play, though! And thank you very much for the comments on Akito and Hiro in his stead! It's really difficult managing so many characters. And thanks for complimenting the story title too!

Niana Kuonji: Hello! I'm really pleased to hear from you. ^_^ Thank you so much for the comments! A 'fantastic story'? *blushes* Thank you very much! You might be right with that guess about Evermore too (I didn't make up a mini-world for nothing!), but you'll have to keep reading. ^_~

Emmi-Chan: Nope! Ritsu's alive and well. That was supposed to be ambiguous, but I hope it wasn't _too_ ambiguous. I have Homework to do too… Quite a lot of it and it's pretty dang late to be starting it, but oh well! One will persevere. Anyway, thank you for making it feel worth it!

Melinda the Digimon Poet: Apparently Belduine doesn't have a plan. Or does he? Heh heh. But yeah, his memory wasn't erased, though I haven't explained exactly how that works yet. The pace is quickening, ne? Is that a good thing (aka exciting) or a bad thing (aka rushed)? I hope for the former! Anyway, yeah, Akito doesn't have time to make a plan. It's too late. Thank you for reviewing!! I really enjoyed it ^_^.

T-c3: I really appreciate your efforts to review. Thank s for the comments on Belduine and Akito. There are…interesting things in store for everybody. I like Akito too, in a "I wish you weren't like that" kind of way. I really enjoy writing him and there's a lot in store from him. Anyway, thank you and please keep reading!

Miaka Mouse: Omg!!! I didn't know you were reading! And I can't be more thrilled that you reviews. *glomps Miaka* I'm glad you are liking the action and suspense. Heh heh. More to come. Please keep R/Ring?

Just out of curiosity, are R Junkie, Flirting with Incoherence, Merryday, Caiti, Rivulet, Caer, Sakura Avalon, Sal-chan, Lady Kara and other one-time regulars still keeping up? You win some and you lose some, so I'm honestly just curious. Obviously, if you don't want to read or review the story you don't have to, but I'd be happy to know!


	11. The Edge of Evermore

The lack of centering annoys me SO much.  Anyway, I apologize for the tardiness of this chapter.  I'm been writing it for weeks and a lot of real life stuff just kept getting in the way.  It was a difficult chapter too.  There were SO many characters to work into it and a lot of action. I hope it is good.  I hope you tell me what you think!  But regardless, thank you very much. I hope you enjoy the story.  I will delay your reading no further.

Evermore

Chapter 11

By Zapenstap

            The main gate of the Sohma Main House creaked on its hinges as it swung from where it hung ajar on the inside.  From what Arisa Uotani could see, the area inside was abandoned; there were no people, no voices, not even a whisper of life.  Arisa motioned the others to step back on the outside of the wall.

            "It's more deserted than it was for New Years," Tohru whispered.

            Arisa didn't say anything.  She had her thumbnail between her teeth, thinking furiously.

            Hana turned to look at Tohru, blank eyes soaking up the last of the daylight and converting it into darkness.  The sun had sunk beneath the horizon and the trees lining the gate were cloaked in shadow, a gray veil obscuring finer details in the distance.  There was still light enough to see by, but it was getting dark fast, and cold.  Arisa was glad now that they had gone back to Shigure's for their coats.

            "It's not deserted," Hana murmured.  "There are people inside.  A lot of people."

            "Magicians?" Kagura demanded in so loud a whisper she might as well have just said it.

            Hana paused for a moment.  "I think so."

            The worry that consumed Tohru's eyes infuriated Arisa, not because Tohru angered her but because Tohru shouldn't have to worry about anything more than she already did.  Disaster upon disaster had fallen upon that girl and it made Arisa livid with rage sometimes that someone so innocent and so good had to put up with so much.  And she never complained.  Not ever.  Was it because she was so pure or did she just not want to confide in her friends about her worries? Was she keeping her feelings in because she was afraid of what would happen if she let them out?  Why?  _Tohru, we are here for you!  _No one could really be that happy and selfless all the time_._

"Yeah, they're in there," Belduine said in a mellow tone. "Farther on the inside, I think, by the feel of things."  He hadn't protested their decision once it was made and hadn't spoken since they left Shigure's.  His sudden complacency almost made Arisa suspicious, but her caution was obscured by a whirl of other emotions.  Fear flogged her stomach hard enough to make her nauseous, but it was cocooned by anger and a sense of desperation.  Part of her wanted to turn around and run, but the abrasive part of her nature wanted to burst through the gates, stride up to the Main House and yell at anyone who deserved yelling at, including Kureno, even if the thought of him twisted her heart into knots.  And she would yell at Akito too.  She didn't care if he was head of the household or some kind of God or that there was something so predominantly creepy about him that it made her nerves twitch.  Comparatively, the magicians didn't faze her at all.  All she could think about was the months she had spent telling herself to forget about that man—Kureno Sohma--when all along he had been right under her nose, and if Akito was the reason he hadn't come back to see her, well… she would just have to do something about that!   They were selfish motivations for coming here.  But she was also genuinely worried about the Sohma household, several of whom she was starting to get to know pretty well at school, and she just could not abide that expression on Tohru's face.

            "Why is it so quiet if there are still people in there?" Kyo asked.  

            "A good question," Hana murmured.

            Ritsu and Ayame hadn't said anything for awhile.  Ritsu looked too terrified to speak up to the group.  He was traditionally the kind of person Arisa loathed.  She had never had any trouble speaking her mind herself, and it bothered her when other people couldn't do the same, but Tohru's acceptance of everybody for the way they were constrained her from making any comments.  After awhile, she began to gather a better grasp for Ritsu, and in some ways her growing compassion annoyed her.  Was she becoming soft by allowing people to be timid?  Wouldn't it be better to push them to be stronger?  Or was that cruel, pushing them to be something they were not, forcing them to take on other roles before they were ready?  She wasn't sure anymore.  

            Ayame was a different matter.  Arisa had found his boisterous storytelling and commentary amusing at first, but that was before it became apparent that he couldn't behave in a manner that reflected the gravity of their situation.  He might have been doing it out of habit, worry and nerves, but Arisa was afraid his loudness would discover them to the enemy and he verbally plowed over anyone who tried to tell him so.  She would pickle his head in a canning jar if he gave them away.  When they got close to their destination, Arisa had taken the liberty to kick the flamboyant clothes designer in the shin to shut him up. He cut off abruptly in mid-laughter, taking note of those around him slowly, and after getting a good look at her face, Kyo's glower, Tohru's worried expression and Hana's blank-eyed stare, Ayame Sohma succumbed into a fidgety silence.  Arisa was glad.  If that didn't work, she had planned to hack off his hair to make a gag.

            "Several hundred people live here," Kagura said quietly.  "If there was trouble…"

            "The magicians probably set some kind of wards or triggers," Belduine said dismissively.  He stood at the edge of the gate, staring ahead of him with a lost, troubled look in his eyes.  "I suppose they might have killed everybody, but I doubt it."  He put the flat of his hand on the wooden gate.  "I guess this is for the best," he muttered quietly to himself, looking at the ground between his feet.  Taking a deep breath, he looked up at the rest of them.  "You'd better hurry if you want to reach them."

            "Yeah, I guess we better had," Arisa snapped.  "Okay, everybody, why don't we…"

            The gate swung abruptly wide open, pulled inward from the inside, and a figure appeared in the doorway.

            Belduine leaped back, stumbling at first and then falling into a defensive crouch close to the ground and half in the shadows.  The others started back in alarm, but it was Arisa whose world flipped over.  She froze stock still, unable to move a muscle, her heart ceasing to beat, the organ becoming nothing more than a lump in her chest.

            Kureno Sohma was tall, clean cut and seemingly more startled by the lot of them then they were to encounter him.  As beauty seemed to be a Sohma birthright, Kureno Sohma was blessed with symmetrical facial features, but he seemed almost ordinary in a lot of ways, save in the awkward way he observed the rest of them.  His eyes scanned Arisa at least twice and there was something in his face other than surprise when he looked at her, but Arisa was no mind reader.  She could hardly think at all.  All she could do was feel, and her emotions swept through her violently.

            Feeling heat rise into her face, she wondered what sort of explosion was going to come out of her.  Anger preceded the rest of it, a self-righteous rage borne of hurt and worry and something she sure as hell wasn't ready to define as love.  Her mouth opened and she felt the words bubble up into her throat, felt her expression constrict and her fists clenched and knew she was going to shout something unforgivable, something that came from the very heart of her wrecked emotional state, but before she could say anything, Kureno seized her unceremoniously by the wrist.

            "What the…?" she protested, pulling back automatically.

            "Come with me," he said.  His eyes trapped her. "Quickly."

            Arisa wrenched her eyes away and glanced behind her at the others.  They were all staring, eyes round and mouths gaping, all save Hana, who politely studied the horizon over her left shoulder.  Arisa looked back at Kureno, struck speechless, all of her fire and vigor and indignation spilling out her like water through a sieve.  

            "Quickly!" he repeated.  "All of you!"

            Pulled in by the wrist, Arisa followed Kureno inside and heard the others fall in on her heels.  Beyond the gate was something like a village and she glanced at it even as she stumbled, her head swirling with thoughts and emotions and uncertainties.  Kureno led them through deserted streets in silence, weaving between houses and avoiding open places as much as possible. Arisa's eyes darted everywhere but at Kureno's back.  The windows of the houses looked dark and there was something she would almost define as sleepiness hanging over everything.  She saw only one face in a window, of a woman on a rocking chair.  Whoever she was, she didn't appear to take any notice of them.

            "This way," Kureno whispered, and Arisa found herself being herded suddenly through the open door of a house.  The others followed, their shoes clamoring on the stairs up to the porch and through the door.  The inside was dark, darker than the gathering night outside, and from what she could tell this little house was empty even of furnishings.  It was stripped bare from floor to ceiling, without even tatami mats to sit on.   Once inside, they stopped moving, breathing in the darkness, finding each other by touch as their eyes adjusted to what little light seeped in through the windows.

            "Where are we?" Tohru whispered.

            "No one lives here," Kureno said.  "It's been empty for months.  Whatever they did to the other houses they did not bother to do to this one."

            "The other houses?" Kyo asked.  "What do you mean?  What did who do?"

            "Men in robes," Kureno replied.  "They came in through the front gate.  Since they entered, no one has come out of their homes.  Sometimes they come to the windows and look out, but it is like they see nothing.  I suppose it makes it easier for them."

            Arisa could see the white's Tohru's eyes gleaming in the darkness.  It made her angry again, the fury slicing through the veil of bewilderment that had dropped over her perception since Kureno's hand pulled her after him.  What right did he have to jerk her around this way?  First the store, visiting her while she worked, asking her to lunch, almost kissing her, and now physically…!

            "Well what's been happening?" Arisa demanded, pulling her wrist out of his grip.  

            Kureno cast a glance at the rest of the group, all of them watching Arisa expectantly because she had chosen herself to be the leader.  Before anything more could be said, Kureno grabbed her hand again and pushed open a door on the wall beside her.  "This way," he said, and hustled her through it before she could protest, leaving the others to wait in the dark in the other room. 

            Arisa turned on him as soon as the door was shut.  "Don't you have any manners?" she shouted.  She turned her wrist out of his hand and shoved him in the chest, the two-hand solid push sending him reeling backward.  "What?  Were you raised in a barn?" He reached for her arm again and this time she pulled back angrily.  "Stop grabbing at me!  I want to know what's going on."

            He was calm, unperturbed by both her rage and her anger, though he gave her the space she requested.  "What are you doing here?" Kureno whispered.  "Why are you here?  Go back home."

            "What?  No!  I know about the damn curse and the magicians already!  We were attacked at Shigure's! What I need is to…"

            "Go home," he repeated.  He raised a hand gently to her face and she abruptly stopped trying to cut in and ride over him.  There was something so pure and simple and open in his touch, like he didn't know it was out of social bounds to invade her personal space without warning that way.  His fingers were cool on her cheek, but she flushed, more trapped than if he had grabbed her like before.  "It can't have anything to do with you," he whispered.  "When they surrounded the Main House, I was lucky to be outside.  I was able to see them before they saw me.  You must understand.  I'm not usually allowed to be anywhere out on my own, but Akito was busy and I wanted time to myself to think.  It is you I risk going outside to think about.  Please… go home.  I want you to be safe."

            "I…" She was shocked to feel tears in her eyes.  She was admittedly emotional, but she was usually more likely to be angry than to cry, to rage or fume or break things.  But somehow this man turned everything upside down, perhaps precisely because he didn't know he was doing it, because she knew her rages wouldn't upset or make sense to him.  

            "Are you sad?" he asked.  "…I'm sorry I made you cry.  Please just go."

            She bit her lip, struggling to be angry through her tears.  "No.  I'm not sad.  And I'm not going!  I want to help.  Sohma…" She was rarely polite enough to address someone by their last name, but she wasn't thinking straight.  She reached up to take his wrist and pull his hand away from her face where his touch was making her go all crazy.  "Please tell me," she pleaded.  "Why did you come to my store?"  He was a blur in her eyes.  Was her voice trembling?  This wasn't what she should be asking him, what was most important, and yet…  "And why did you _stop_ coming?  I don't… Who are you?"

            "Too see you," he replied.  His fingers touched her hair, threading through the edges by her face, pushing them back behind her ears to clear her eyes.  She couldn't breathe or move.  Her feet and fingers felt stiff and cold, but the rest of her was warm.  Once he had touched her, he didn't stop or draw away or even seem to consider it.  His hands held her head on either side of her face, his fingers playing idly with the blonde strands, smoothing it over her scalp and crushing it against her ears.  She was tall, but he leaned slightly over her, and no matter how proud and confident she stood, she felt small and vulnerable under his eyes.  She didn't understand why she felt so weak.  "I'm just a servant," he told her, and the whisper came close to her face.  Her hands clenched into fists and she closed her eyes.  "I guard Akito.  I'm with him all the time.  It is my duty, my responsibility, my life to ensure his safety.  I have to go to him even now."

            She was trembling and she didn't know why.  Jealousy and anger threatened to bowl her over.  "But Akito… That man is a monster!  And it's dangerous!  I…"

            He leaned in swiftly and his lips on hers surprised her, a gentle kiss that for some reason hit her straight in the gut and swept aside all reason.  But the mildness of it strengthened to something sharp and forceful and needing.  Desperate.  She felt his fingers tangling in her hair and knew it was the same for him, unexpectedly powerful, overwhelmingly addictive.  He broke away as if being drug, gasping for air.  "This can never be."

            She fought to hold onto him, wrapping her hands around the back of his neck, not understanding clearly where she was or what she was fighting for or how this had come about.  "But I…" She stepped in a little closer.

            He grabbed her arms below the elbow, holding her at bay.  "It would be bad for us both if he knew.  Please, Arisa, just go home and… forget.  I'm not the kind of man who can love you."

            She felt him sweeping past her like wind and opened her eyes to find herself alone.  She almost felt like she had woken up from a dream, nostalgic and disoriented.  When she came to herself the tears dried instantly on her cheeks.  She scrubbed her eyes angrily, wiping tears away to clear them, and strode forcibly out of the room.

            "Hey, you!  This isn't over!" she snapped, and came up suddenly short.

            Kureno was not in the room.

            The others were still waiting, watching her with those same wide eyes. She had forgotten about them momentarily, and flushed in shame under their assessing gaze and her own selfishness.  

            "Where did he go?" she demanded.

            "He didn't say," Kagura said.  "You know, I can't remember ever having heard Kureno-san speak before.  How do you…?"

            Ayame clapped his hands together.  "Are you in love with Kureno Sohma!?!?!" he exclaimed over Kagura.  His tone of voice modulated, climbing high and sweeping low at every other word with increasing gusto.  "I must say I had expected it from the start. I always thought he was such a curmudgeon, being so quiet and furtive and never around, I never knew what he was thinking, not to mention the boring way he dresses, not that everyone can be as stylish as me, of course, but you still must understand my complete and utter surprise.  It seems so fantastically delectable that someone such as yourself, being as wildly erratic and unpredictable and fiery spirited as you are should fall for someone with such a low and uninspiring profile as that man!  But on second thought, you might be good for him, and as I consider myself dedicated to all romance, I will be most happy to assist you in all your fantasy endeavors!  In fact, I just thought of a splendid design for you that will have Kureno behaving at least like a normal person in order to win your illustrious favor…"

            "Who's normal?" Kyo shouted.  "I hope you don't mean normal like you!"

            "…and awaken his dormant passions," Ayame continued.  "Oh, this is a most happy day!  I will have you in my shop where we can take measurements for your sabbatical with the love of your life.  You will have to run away and elope, of course; Akito would break something if he knew, possibly Kureno's neck, or probably yours, but I am always here to help a romance in need!  The more desperate the more beautiful, as they say.   It will be an epic tale of danger and adventure!  Ha ha ha!  Someone amongst us has to be happy after all, and one should do one's best to secure the utmost happiness of others, even in their personal relationships, in which I will proudly and shamelessly interfere!"

            "Shut up!" Arisa shouted.  "I'm not…" She clenched her jaw shut and buried her feelings.  "We're going after him.  He said the magicians have the Main House surrounded.  Don't you _understand_?"

            Ayame cut off short, his expression almost seeming to collapse.  Kagura lowered her eyes, his hands clenching around a fistful of her skirt.  Ritsu bit his lip.

            "Yuki…" Tohru whispered, and Arisa knew it was only the first in a litany of anxieties. 

            "We're not going to let them be taken!" Arisa said viciously.

            Kyo's face was unreadable.  Hana said nothing.  She almost couldn't see her in the shadow she was standing in.  Arisa surveyed her army silently for a moment, her chest heaving and her nerves tingling.  They would do what they could.  And if they were killed or captured themselves… It would be better than living her whole life having run away.  There were seven of them…

            "Wait a minute," Arisa said.  "Where's Belduine?"

*****

            Momiji's blonde curls were damp with blood when Shigure lifted him lightly into his arms and carried him back to where he had left Kisa and Hiro.  The cloaked magicians paid him less mind then they might a real dog.  As long as he stayed within the circle of green cloaks in front of the foremost entrance of the Main House, kept his eyes lowered and spoke to no one, he was ignored.  They had dropped Momiji to the ground in front of their feet like a sack, careless of how he fell unconscious and bleeding into the dust.  Nor did they seem to care when Shigure approached to take the boy from them.

            Shigure was careful not to meet the eyes of his captors, but he watched them furtively.  They were certainly men, though they kept their hoods up over their faces and some of them had their hands wrapped in cloth, though whether for warmth or fashion or disguise, he wasn't sure.   They looked to be of more than one nationality and there was an almost militaristic disposition in the way they stood so still and silent, watching the doors.  Still, Shigure knew it was hopeless to try and break out of the circle.  He had seen them do magic, just as that kid Belduine had said, and he didn't dare risk it.

            In the middle of the circle, Hiro and Kisa were holding up surprising well.  They both had a few minor injuries.  Hiro's shoulder had been wrenched and Kisa had a nasty-looking cut on her knee, but though they both had a few other scuffs and scrapes, neither of them needed immediate medical attention.  Their faces were pale and they were clearly afraid, but they weren't hysterical and they appeared to have things under control.  Shigure admired them.  It was strange the way people threw fits over minor tragedies and yet became quiet and patient when things were really bad.  Hiro and Kisa held hands, standing side by side, and every once and awhile whispered something to the other which clearly relieved both of their stress.

            A shame, that such young love had such a small hope. He didn't want to see it die.

            "Is the rabbit all right?" Hiro asked, and managed it without moving his mouth or speaking loud enough to be heard.

            "I don't know," he answered in the same way.  Shigure didn't know what the rules were with their communication, but it was best to be cautious.  He was hoping that their captors were overconfident.  It would be something at least, though he wasn't sure they didn't have every right to be overconfident.

            Shigure knelt and lowered Momiji's still form softy to the ground just in front of him, keeping the boy's head on his knees.  He looked like he had been hit with something.  The bleeding was minor; he thought it looked worse than it was.  Shigure was more worried that Momiji had a concussion, or that something had damaged his brain.  There was no way for him to tell.   He didn't even think Hatori would be able to do too much.  They would just have to wait and see if he woke up.

            The front doors of the Main House burst open and a procession came through in a line, headed by the man with the runes on the edges of his robe.  In the gathering darkness, all Shigure could make out was that he was a stern-faced man with strong bones and dark eyes.  Shigure stayed on his knees and after a moment Hiro and Kisa dropped down respectfully beside him.  Though he assumed the forms, the look in Hiro's eye was rebellious, and for a moment Shigure was afraid the boy was going to do something stupid, but after a moment he relaxed. Hiro's attention occasionally strayed to Kisa and it was clear he would do nothing that might endanger her. 

            For himself, Shigure lowered his head and tried to look contrite and cowed, not entirely sure it wasn't acting.  The wizard in the robe with the runes was followed by two other magicians with Yuki between them, each grasping one of his arms.  Yuki looked scared but otherwise unharmed, and for that Shigure was relieved at least.  If none of them made any sudden movements, perhaps they would not be considered a threat, and thereby come under a light guard under which they could formulate a plan to escape.  He would think of something.

            Shigure took a moment to meet Yuki's eyes.

            _"Haru and Rin?" he mouthed silently._

            Yuki shook his head. 

            Shigure immediately understood.  They hadn't run.

            As if the thought had been a summons, Rin and Haru appeared momentarily on the porch, prodded outside by two more wizards, one guiding Rin and the other compelling Haru.  Their captors wore dead-pan faces like masks, but Rin and Haru looked angry, their eyes glittering with almost identical stubbornness. Occasionally Haru struggled, his Black personality fighting to get out, but Rin walked proud and cold and aloof, ignoring the man who gripped her by the upper arm with a frosty countenance.  Right behind them, Hatori stumbled without guidance, weaving dizzily, one hand pressed to his temple as if he had a headache. 

            The magicians released their charges within the circle and stepped back ritualistically to merge in with the rest of their number, ignoring their captives.  Taking advantage of the moment, Hatori leaned over and murmured something to Haru.  The younger man calmed down enough to listen, his fists clenched, but his head was turned toward Yuki and the flash in his eyes indicated a personality hovering in flux.  Yuki looked back at Haru and the subtle bond seemed to indicate something, because after a moment Haru seemed to relax. Rin looked away from Haru and toward Hiro and Kisa, her expression showing evidence of relief, but then her eyes landed on Momiji.  She stiffened noticeably.  Haru and Yuki caught the direction of Rin's stare, and their heads turned simultaneously.  Haru's eyes widened.

            _"Momiji?"_ Yuki mouthed.  _"Is he…"_

            Shigure met their anxious looks with as much assurance as he could muster, unconsciously seeking to diffuse the tension of the situation.  When Hatori became aware of the object of the stares, he paled.  Straightening, he walked across the inner circle to kneel at Shigure's side.  Shigure gave Momiji over to Hatori readily, watching anxiously as his friend cradled the boy gently to his chest, lifting his eyelids to look at his eyes and then laying his head softly back on Shigure's knees.  The rabbit still had not moved or made a sound. 

            "What happened in there?" Shigure whispered as Hatori checked Momiji's pulse and listened for his breathing.

            "I can't remember," Hatori murmured quietly.  "Akito went to check on Yuki and I was left alone.  Then I heard this tremendous boom.  I don't remember anything that happened after that until just a minute ago.  I woke up under guard."  He brushed sweaty blonde curls from Momiji's forehead.  "What happened to him?" Though his voice was flat and logical as always, Shigure knew Hatori well enough to know he was worried.

            "I don't know," Shigure said.  "What about Akito?"

            Hatori nodded toward the Main House and Shigure followed the trajectory.

            Although he had expected it, Shigure felt his confidence crack as Akito emerged from the complex.  He was led by no one and suffered no one to touch him, but he looked a small and shrunken replica compared to the imposing terror he sometimes was.  He clung to his robes, coughing occasionally in his sleeve, and glared at everyone around him with eyes that pierced, weighing and judging with bitter anger.  His eyes scanned the captured Juunishi first, assessing them individually, and his lips twisted when he saw Momiji, lying like a broken doll with his head in Shigure's lap.  It was impossible to tell what he was thinking or feeling, but when he looked at Shigure, something in his eyes almost seemed to blame him for what was happening.  And though he knew he could not realistically be held accountable, Shigure felt whipped by the accusation.

            "Azaren!"

            The call came from on high and rang throughout the open space, but its tone was closer to a salutation than a challenge.  The man with the golden runes looked up, seeming neither surprised nor worried, and a slight smile twisted his lips.

            Shigure followed his gaze and was startled to see Belduine leap from the roof of one of the surrounding houses to the center of the circle.  He landed like a cat, booted feet striking the dust, knees bending to cushion the impact, his fingertips touching the ground for balance.  A stir rippled among the magicians surrounding the captured Sohmas, but the man in the runes neither moved nor spoke, looking down at the boy with that same smile.  Akito's head turned sharply, eyes narrowing on Belduine as if to bore holes through him.  

            Belduine straightened gracefully, and though there was something wary in his countenance, he did not look thoroughly alarmed.  His dark eyes flickered toward Shigure briefly, and lingered on Momiji's unconscious state, but his thoughts were difficult to decipher.

            The wizard who was presumably Azaren said something in his own language, a dialect that sounded like nothing Shigure had ever heard, but he said it coolly, almost mockingly, and Belduine flushed as he listened, his expression grim.  It was clear they knew one another personally.  It was also clear that Azaren was in the position of authority.  The revelation sent a distinct chill down Shigure's spine.  _Is that boy with us or against us?  Considering the way we treated him…_It was a disconcerting thought.  They had to be cautious and tread carefully, now more than ever. 

            "Yes," Belduine answered whatever question Azaren had asked.  "I know."

            Azaren's smile slipped and he turned from Belduine as if, upon learning what he wanted to know, he could cease to acknowledge the boy's presence.  Strangely, Belduine did not look affected by the sudden lack of attention, neither belittled nor angry.  But what struck Shigure most about the exchange was that it seemed both he and Azaren had understood Belduine's speech, and yet neither Shigure nor this Azaren understood the other, or hadn't when Shigure had tried to speak to these people before.  He went over in his mind what Belduine had said, reforming the words, listening to their sounds. _Yes.  I know._  That was what they meant, but he realized that the words were not what he had thought he heard.  Shigure might be able to repeat them from having heard and understood it, but whatever Belduine had said, it wasn't Japanese, nor, he realized, was anything Belduine had ever spoken Japanese, and yet Shigure had understood him perfectly all this time, down to inflection and intonation and nuance.  What subtle magic was this?  And stranger still, why had Azaren not used it to communicate with them?

            Azaren said something that Shigure would have taken from its tone as an afterthought meant to amuse, but whatever it was he said, Belduine did not laugh.

            "There are some girls with them," Belduine said.  "They're not cursed.  You can let them go."

            A chuckle issued from some of the magicians in the circle, the first verbal response Shigure had heard from them.

            Belduine's face was stubbornly set.  "The Esper has no need for them!"

            Azaren lifted a hand and the laughter ceased.  He murmured something and whatever it was, it made Belduine angry.  Shigure saw it in his eyes and body language, his fists clenching and his head reeling back.  But before the kid could move or speak, the tiger appeared on the porch in front of the Main House and drew all eyes.  A low growl like a soft rumble of thunder issued from its mouth as it sat on its haunches, its tail curling about its legs.  A collar of diamonds encircled its neck and a license of gold hung beneath its chin.  Azaren turned to look at the animal, ignoring Belduine as he smiled with something like pride and gestured for the tiger to come closer.  Shigure noted Kisa watching the creature avidly, clinging to Hiro's arm, and wondered what she was thinking.

            As the tiger padded softly past Yuki and came to lie down at Azaren's feet, the Head Wizard turned his hand over to display a glowing globe of soft white light.   The sphere emerged out of nothing and hovered above the magician's palm, translucent and ghostly beautiful in the twilight of the evening.  Shigure felt it pull at him like an anchor, weighing his soul down.  It was almost an echo of the bond between Zodiac members, the invisible chain that linked them together through space and time and memory.  

            "Kureno is here," Hatori said suddenly.  He did not sound overly surprised.

            Shigure looked up with everyone else as the outer circle parted and a man stepped through with both hands in the air, a gesture of surrender.  Akito's expression was difficult to read, but his eyes bored through Kureno like hot pincers as the man crossed the distance to stand beside him.  Akito looked away when he came close, his teeth bared in an angry grimace as Kureno knelt on the ground beside him silently.  Azaren held out the orb, staring through it with unfocused eyes, and then nodded with satisfaction.

            "It seems that he's keeping track of us with that," Hatori said.  "It must tell him who we are, like a visual blueprint of our curse.  That means he knows who he's got left."

            How were they going to get out of this?  Shigure looked again at Akito, weighing the temperament of their god. He was supposedly divine, but he was scarcely a child.  He was a painful master to serve, but to serve loyally was a dog's nature.  They could not allow Akito to fall into the hands of these people.  Shigure was willing to take any chance.

*****

            Tohru's heart fluttered in her chest like a bird as she ran after Uo and the others.  She had never been so scared in her life, not even when Kyo had transformed for the first time. Her fear then had been similar, but not the same.  She had been shocked, frightened by what she saw, internally disgusted and hating herself for it, but predominantly deeply worried about Kyo.  But what she was feeling now was terror for herself as well as others.  This was heart-shredding anxiety and basic fear of death.  She was flying into danger, hoping to save the ones she loved more than anything else in the world, hoping against hope that they were alive and unharmed and would remain that way.  She could scarcely think enough to even understand her fears.  She just tried to make herself keep running and hope that others would direct her.

            "What are we gonna do?" Kyo demanded of Uo in a harsh, panting whisper.  

            "Bash em all down!" Kagura said enthusiastically.  "I'm so mad I could…!"

            "No, _really_!" Kyo cut her off.  "What are we going to do?"

            "I don't like running," Ayame complained.  "It's hard on my clothes.  And it messes up my hair."

            "What we're going to do is take them by surprise!" Uo said fiercely.  "Hana, I'm depending on you to shock them.  Let's see how well these magicians do magic with their brains addled!"

            Tohru was not a warrior.  She believed in fighting for what you believed in, but physically hurting people wasn't in her nature.  Even if she was being attacked, the best she thought she could do was clench her eyes shut tight and flail.  She remembered the time she had hit Kyo with her book bag in the woods and winced.  She had no idea what use she was in this strategy.  She just wanted Yuki to be okay.  She was so worried about him. And everybody.

            "What about Belduine?" Kyo whispered. 

            Uo didn't say answer immediately.  "We can't just run away."

            Hana hissed for them to stop suddenly and the seven of them skidded to a halt.  Ritsu let out a petrified peep as he crashed into Ayame's back.  "I'm so sorry!  I'm so…!"

            "Shut _up!" Arisa rebuked.  Ritsu subsided into a wide-eyed, hurt silence.  _

            Tohru caught sight of green robes just ahead and silently followed Kyo, Uo and Hana into the shadows behind the wall of the last house.  She danced nervously from foot to foot as they all crowded together, trying to control their labored breathing.  Tohru suddenly wanted someone to hold onto, and for some reason she wanted it to be Yuki.  But it was Kagura who grabbed her hand and squeezed it for reassurance.  She squeezed back.

            "They're in a circle," Hana said.  "The Sohmas are on the inside.  And there's a tiger."

            "A tiger?" Kyo questioned.  "Well, what's the plan?"

            "Okay," Arisa said, breathing on her hands and rubbing them together for warmth.  "It's getting pretty dark, so that's in our favor.  Orange-top, you're a cat, right?  Are you any good at climbing?"

            "I dunno, I guess.  Do you want us to go over the roof or something?"

            "Yeah.  Who else can climb?"

            "Um," Tohru spoke up, "Ritsu can climb."

            "No I can't!" Ritsu protested.  "I'm not good at anything!"

            "Ritsu can climb," Tohru insisted.  "He's the monkey.  I've seen him do it.  He pulled himself up onto the roof at Shigure's.  You can do it, Ritsu!  I know you can!"

            "That's right!" Ayame exclaimed.  "You can do anything you set your mind to! That's what we all have to believe!"

            Ritsu followed with a few more protests and disclaimers that he was really no good and that they should expect him to be clumsy, revealing everything to the enemy and getting them all captured or killed.  But at length it was determined that Kyo and Ritsu would climb over the roof and jump in the middle of the circle to create a diversion while the rest of them crashed through the middle of the circle.

            "The object is to disorientate them enough so that everybody inside can run!" Arisa said.  "Hana will help with the magics."

            "I will try."

            "We may not get everybody," Arisa said, "but we can always regroup and try again.  But we can't give up!  If we surrender it's all over and we'll be their prisoners.  That's not going to happen if we keep fighting!  So don't give up!"

            Don't give up! Tohru clenched her fists determinedly.

            Kagura nodded resolutely.  She actually seemed excited to lead the crashing group. "You and I will be the leaders, Kyo!"

            Tohru's job was to encourage everybody to run.  Arisa thought they would listen to her.  Ayame and Kagura were supposed to guard Hana so that she could send out her electrical shocks to help out the others without having to worry about defending herself.  Arisa was going to help with the rescuing and leading the escape party out of the area.

            "We have to act quickly and we have to be forceful," Arisa said.  "I know we can do this!  We have to try!"

            Tohru waited in the shadows while Kyo and Ritsu climbed up the drainpipe to the roof.  Ritsu managed it without any apparent difficulty, even in a girl's kimono.  Tohru's heart was thudding so hard she thought it was going to burst, and her stomach was so shaky she was afraid she might throw up.  But she locked her knees and set her expression and was determined to do her best.  Because whatever happened, Arisa was right: They couldn't just run away.  They had to try!

            _I'm going to protect my family.  This time… this time I won't let them die!_

            "Ready?" Arisa murmured, looking back at the rest of them.  Tohru really thought she might be sick, but she nodded.

            Kagura braced herself to run, setting her attention on the link between the nearest pair of wizards in the circle just ahead.  Tohru thought idly that Kagura must have been a true terror in Red Rover.

            They heard the scraping of the roof tiles as Kyo and Ritsu prepared to leap off the roof.

            "Now or never," Arisa whispered.

            "Run!" Kyo's voice thundered from above them.  Tohru heard him hit the ground inside the circle of magicians, presumably on his feet.

            "Go!" Arisa echoed in a harsh whisper.

            Kagura charged.

            Tohru propelled herself forward, but she shut her eyes and missed what happened.  Shouts and screams erupted on all sides as she felt people steam past her.  Robes brushed past her arms as she broke through the circle, and only then did she open her eyes.

            She saw all the Sohmas, everyone she loved, gaping at her in astonishment.  Her relief was so great she hardly noticed the magicians, the tiger, Belduine, Kyo standing defensively or Ritsu covering his ears with his hands.  She counted her family members quickly, and gasped when she saw Momiji lying limp in Shigure's lap.

            "Tohru?" Shigure mouthed.

            After a moment, she remembered what she was supposed to do.  "Run!" she shrieked, and flailed her arms above her head.

            Near the entrance to the house, standing just in front of a two wizards with bewildered expressions was Yuki.  His face softened in recognition of her, and she soaked up the sight of him, alive and well.  He was beautiful and noble and when he smiled at her she felt herself melting.  It lasted only a moment, and then the circle exploded.  In the next instant Yuki's eyes narrowed and his muscles tensed as he became the sharp, cold and noble fighter that Kyo could not defeat.  Before Tohru's eyes he flowed like water, his hands moved faster than she could see, catching the wizards behind him unawares, striking them across the face and throat and midsection.  They crumpled at his feet.

            Rin and Haru moved when Yuki did, dashing for the circle and the freedom beyond side by side.  Turning, Tohru looked behind her to see what the others were doing.  Shigure was on his feet, carrying Momiji like a baby in his arms.  He and Hatori moved toward Akito as one, opening their mouths to speak, ushering him the way Rin and Haru had fled.  Kureno trailed close behind, but he looked over his shoulder to see Arisa running after him.

            But it was Hana that had the attention of the magicians.  Tohru did not know what magic looked like, did not know if she would be able to see it, but either they weren't using it or it wasn't working.  Perhaps it was Hana.  She did nothing but stand still, hands hanging at her sides, back arched, her hair loose behind her back.  But the magicians fell back from her, ignoring the commotion of the Sohmas, watching her warily.  

            For a moment, Tohru believed that they were going to do it, that they were going to get everyone away, but then she saw a man with the runes.  He stood in the middle of the circle with a tiger at his feet, and he did not appear at all perturbed by anything that was happening.  When he spoke, his voice boomed and whatever he said seemed to give the other robed men confidence, for several of them smirked.  Those with what looked like bandages wrapped around their hands unwound them.   The man with the runes said something else, a curt word that could have meant anything and then waved a hand in a meaningless gesture.  But Yuki gasped, stumbled, and feel suddenly limp.  One of the two wizards he had struck caught him as he fell, seized him by the arms and dragged him up to his feet.  The other one produced what looked like a ceremonial knife from his belt.

            "Yuki!" Tohru gasped, alarmed.

            "Azaren!" Belduine shrieked.  "You can't do this!"

            Tohru's eyes widened.  She had not seen taken much note of Belduine at first in all the confusion, but he was there, standing alone in an open space.  Her mind raced.  He arrived before they did.  Why?  Had he betrayed them?

            She didn't care.  She couldn't think past what was happening.  Yuki wasn't struggling.  Perhaps he wasn't able to, but his eyes were wide, helpless and stricken with fear.  The man Belduine identified as Azaren nodded at the man with the knife and folded his arms in his sleeves.  The magician with the knife raised it to Yuki's face and gripped his jaw with the other hand.  

            Tohru stared in utter disbelief, clasping a hand to her mouth in horror as the glittering edge of the knife bit into Yuki's left cheek and sliced down toward his chin.  Yuki screamed and blood gushed up from the cut, obscuring how deep the wound.  He shuddered in the grip of his captor, but whatever was wrong with him prevented him from being able to break free.  He shut his eyes, but tears leaked from them.  The blood covered the lower quarter of his face.

            Everybody stopped moving.  Tohru wrenched her eyes away only to see Haru turn and take several steps back the way he had come before he stopped, utterly horro-struck.  Tohru could also see Kyo, his eyes wide and his movements frozen, Ritsu clinging weakly to his sleeve.

            The knife lifted and Yuki fell limp, shaking in the hold of the other wizard, but the knife only moved to change positions, lowering to Yuki's neck.  The magician's other hand seized Yuki by the hair and pulled his head back.  The knife pressed under his chin. 

            "Stop!"  Akito shrieked. 

            His voice rang out, reverberating throughout the village.  

            He stood with Kureno, Hatori, and Shigure holding Momiji, nearer to the edge of the circle but not out of it.  The older Sohmas surrounded him like a guard and had seemed to have been persuading him to escape, but when he spoke they stopped.  Shigure's mouth was parted, his expression aghast as he stared at Yuki.  Nobody could look away from Yuki's marred and bleeding face. Tohru could not look at it.

            "I surrender!" Akito shouted.  His eyes swung from Yuki to Azaren to the rest of the Sohmas.  His eyes were frightened.  Tohru had never imagined him so terrified.  "Surrender!"

            The second was a command, and as it was uttered all the Sohmas dropped their guard, falling one by one obediently to their knees.  By their expressions they were not opposed to the order, not even Kyo, but Arisa remained on her feet, her face flushed and her hands shaking. Azaren regarded them all coolly for a moment and then nodded at the magician holding the knife.  Taking it away from Yuki's neck, the man sheathed it with neither expression nor ceremony.  Yuki slumped forward, gasping for air, the cut on his face still bleeding.  It looked bad; a scar that would never heal.  Tohru clapped both hands to her mouth, feeling the tears choke her throat and her knees weaken.

            Hana's face was curiously set.  She looked directly at Yuki's captors and her eyes narrowed dangerously.

            Belduine darted between the wizards, a blur of motion in an area of statues, ducking past Kyo and launching himself at Hana.  "Saki!  Don't!"

            The other wizards got there first.  Ayame and Kagura knelt on the ground from where they had been shielding Hana and the magicians stepped right over them.  Hana turned her attention on them, but before she could do anything she was backhanded across the face.

            "Hana!" Arisa shouted, jumping to her feet.  She was seized before she took three steps.  Another knife was produced, this one from a different magician.

            "Stop it!" Belduine shouted.  "Leave them alone!  You've got what you want, Azaren!  You don't need them.  Let them go!"

            Azaren ignored him.  Arisa's head was yanked back and the knife pressed to her throat.  A swarm of cloaks surrounded Hana, shielding her from view.   Tohru stood alone in the middle of the circle, but she knew she was spotted as three magicians strode toward her from the outside circle.  All she could think of to protect herself was her flower, but now she realized that she had no idea how to use it, nor how it would help Arisa and Hana, and even as it passed through her mind, she knew she was too terrified to say or do a thing.

            "Miss Honda!" Yuki screamed.  Kyo half rose from the ground.

            Belduine snarled and Tohru's hair whipped around her face in a sudden rising wind.  She turned to look over her shoulder in time to see Belduine lift a hand that crackled with jagged lines of pale green lightning.  From his fingertips a flame appeared and lengthened into a bolt of green light. Sweat beaded on Belduine's face.  With his other hand, he produced a dagger seemingly from nowhere, flipping it up to balance the end of the hilt on his fingertips.  Cocking back his elbow, he snapped it with dead accuracy toward Arisa's captor.  

            The magician holding Arisa lowered his knife and stared at the weapon hurling toward him.  It clattered to the ground in front of Arisa's feet.  The next moment, the green rod of light in Belduine's hand splintered, fragmenting into a hundred pieces.  The man holding Arisa raised a hand and Belduine's body was lifted off its feet and flung backward.  He hit the ground hard, rolling onto his face, and lay still.

            Azaren spoke softly, having watched the exchange with a smile.  The man holding Arisa sheathed his knife, but Tohru didn't think it was because of anything Belduine had done.  The men heading toward her also stopped, and looking around, Tohru slowly sank to her knees.  Once on the ground she did not think she could get back up.  Her legs felt like jelly and her heart was beating so fast she felt light-headed.

            Hana emerged in the arms of two magicians.  One look at the scene and she lowered her eyes in surrender, her face expressionless. No one moved or spoke.

            Azaren crossed over the cobblestones to where Belduine lay.   He spoke in a lilting voice, undulating in tone, and after a moment, Belduine managed to raise his head.

            "Handmaidens," he said, and it sounded like he was repeating something said to him.  He did not sound happy, but his voice was so weak and strained with pain that it was hard to tell.  He pushed himself up onto his elbows.  "One day," said, gritting his teeth.  "One day I'll be able to…"

            Azaren kicked him in the face.

            The Sohmas watched with gaping mouths.  Tohru did not know what to think, could not understand what was happening beyond the moment.

            Azaren lowered himself to a crouch and spoke in a voice that chilled.  Belduine hid his face in the ground, but it was clear that whatever was being said was hurting him worse than the physical blow.  Tohru felt her compassion welling up suddenly and was confused by the feeling, confused by Belduine.  After a moment, Azaren said something sharply, something that sounded like an order.

            Belduine sat up slowly, rubbing his cheek.  "He's asked me to translate," he said loud enough so that they could all hear him.  "You're being taken to the dungeons of Cabadan, from whence you will be moved to Evermore and the Holdings of the Esper as soon as she can be informed of your arrival.  You will be separated.  You are not allowed to communicate.  To protect the secrecy of the Key, you will be rendered unconscious for the journey out of this world.  It will be easier if you do not struggle."

            Tohru didn't see anything else that happened.  As soon as Belduine finished speaking, a magician finished his trajectory toward her.  She felt the pain explode in the back of her head and gasped, projecting forward from her knees as the lights blurred and then blackened before her eyes.  The cold surface of the ground met with the flat of her hands.  She didn't remember anything else.

End of Part 1

TBC

Feedback for feedback:

Grrl N: Thank you!   Thank you very much for the feedback you have given me so far.  I hope you are enjoying the story ^_^.  It's my intention for the story to get even more intriguing.  Please stick with me if you are liking it!

Calender:  I'm glad you liked naked Kyo!  I'm interested to hear response for this chapter as it's a bit… erm… worrying?  I hope you liked Arisa and Kureno!  There will be more of that to come, and many other things!  I hope you stick with me! ^_^

Mizaya:  You're my favorite person. Lots of stuff happened in this chapter.  You gave me a kick-ass review last time.  What do you think of this overdue baby? 

Kyra Rivers:  *glomps*  I LOVE YOU.  Okay, maybe that was a bit strong, but the sentiment had good intentions.  THANK YOU for such an amazing response! I am sorry about Momiji!  I love him too! It's difficult to respond to what wonderful things you have to say without giving away the whole story!  I want to hear your opinion but not influence them. ^_^.  Anyway, I can't express enough how wonderful a reader you are.  I am so happy you are reading and I really hope you come back!

Sal-Chan:  Oh no! Don't apologize.  I hope people don't drift away is all.  It's just nice to hear from readers.  Really nice.  I hope you are not too upset with the way things have developed, though some things are upsetting!  But I know where I'm going so all I can ask is that you stick with me! I hope you come back to review.  ^_^ I really do.

Sarlinia:  *wince* This one was a bit slow.  I feel bad!  You should totally read the manga!  Join the FruityGroup ML and look over the translations.  It's worth it if you love the series.  As for the story, I hope this new chapter was good and keeps you wanting more! I'll try to be quicker with the next one.  I love your reviews btw.  ^_^

Flirting with Incoherence:  Yay!  Another review from you!  I hope something in this chapter made you laugh too.  I don't want to get overly serious even if it is somewhat of a serious story.  Comedy is important!  Anyway, I'm thrilled to see you again.  Ayame tickles me too!

Merryday:  You forget?  I didn't think about that!  Sorry if I sounded demanding.  I really don't mean to sound that way.  I just want to hear if people are reading.  The more readers the more energy I feel I should put into it.   Thank you very much for your comments!  They are appreciated!

Herflumpness: Oh wow! A new reviewer!  And your comments are flattering.  Thank you very much!  I hope you enjoyed this most recent chapter.  It's going to go into even more complex ideas… O_o.  I hope you stay along for the ride!  Anyway, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reviewing.  Sorry for the wait.  

R Junkie: I'm sorry if I made you feel guilty!  That was unintentional.  I work hard and I appreciate reviews as all writers do but I'm not about to demand anything of anyone.  It's just discouraging to write without feedback.  I reviewed a story for you, though!  As for Yukiru, don't worry!  I'll try to make sure they get equal screen time!  The plot just made Kyoru happen for now.  O_o More yukiru later!

Niana Kuonji: Lol.  Yeah, naked Kyo is fanservice and quite fun!  Akito captured=bad but what do you think now?  ^_~

Melinda the Digimon Poet:  Oh no! The comment on pacing was good.  I appreciate that kind of information.  Now that the action "appears" to be over, do you have any more thoughts to add?  I really appreciate them.  Thank you very much.  The "Parts" has to do with a significant change in the story.  I'm moving to another world now.  I hope everyone can handle it!  The emails are fine ^_^  It makes me happy that you're thinking of me!

Sakura Avalon or Kinomoto: Oh hey!  I'm so happy you came back!  I know you're busy but I appreciate it all the same.  Thank you very much for the comments.  I like the ghost impression.  ^_^

Sushi-fishie: It's wonderful to see a new face!  I'm sure that there are things that could improve the story, but the comment is flattering all the same.  Thank you very much!  I am so happy that you chose to look at this story and review it.  I know my paragraphs can get long and that sometimes I can get wordy.  I appreciate the constructive criticism.  Please continue to help me improve!  This review inspired me to get in gear and finish this chapter!


	12. Part Two: The Prison of Cabadan

Now that we're out of the Fruits Basket world this might start to take on a slightly different feel.  But I've made up an original mini fantasy world just for this story, and I hope you enjoy it, but be prepared.  Fruits Basket family antics and humor will return in due time. ^_~  Thanks for reading!

Evermore

Chapter 12

By Zapenstap   

            His first conscious thought was that this was not Japan.  He was back.

            Belduine opened his eyes to a dirt floor in a dimly lit room, his muscles stiff and aching and his head throbbing from the blow that had rendered him unconscious.   Experience warned him of other presences in the room.  By reflex he managed to twist to the side just before he was kicked awake.  

            "Okay, okay," he mumbled into the ground in an effort to prevent further attempts at abuse.

            "On your knees."

            The two guards leaning over him were not magicians.  They were citizens of the city loyal to the Order, swathed in rich scarlet cloaks with the Esper's Crest pinning the material over their leather jerkins, each carrying a long hafted spear.  Their faces were grim as they seized him by the arms and dragged him to his knees.  Belduine obliged without protest, hanging loosely in their grip, but when he attempted to put his feet under him to stand, he was kicked back down.  Positioned on his knees between the two guards, he slowly raised his head.

            The circular room was lit by torches burning brightly from the sconces cemented in the stone.  It was occupied by more than Belduine and his two guards.  Magicians lined the far end of the room, standing as still and silent and mysterious as they always did when confronting anyone who was not of their Order.  Azaren was with them, separated a little from the rest by his position in front of the semicircle of cloaked men.  

            Belduine knew when he saw them why he was here.  He winced, rolling his head, and wracked his brain to try and formulate ragged answers to the questions he knew he was going to be asked.

            "Leave him," Azaren commanded. The guards left Belduine on his knees and stationed themselves at the doors.

            The Head Wizard's hood was thrown back, revealing a man well into his prime, his face so hard his cheekbones looked like they were chiseled from stone.  His face was pale and his lips red, an eerie contrast to the gray-streaked black beard and mustache on his upper lip and chin and that barely resembled a few weeks' growth.  Azaren kept his facial hair well trimmed, the beard on his chin a perfect triangle not daring to hang away from the face, his mustache shaped to cover the space just above his upper lip.  His eyes were ice cold blue, sharp and smart and penetrating. 

            "You have some explaining to do," Azaren said.  

            Belduine settled back on his legs and lowered his head in a gesture of shame while he glanced covertly around the room.  This circular space was not an audience chamber.  It had the feel of being underground, rock walls devoid of any color or trappings.  But his eyes were drawn more to the folded table in the corner and cruel devices that hung on the walls.  He thought he recognized where he was.  This was a torture chamber in the underground prison of Cabadan.  Fortunately, the hooks and ropes and blades had not been used in some time.  Many of them were rusted.  Even so, the atmosphere was intimidating.  It helped that he'd been here before and had the memory of leaving without being harmed.  There was always a greater sense of security in a familiar place and he needed as much sense of security as he could invent.

            Slowly, he lifted his face to meet Azaren in the eye.  "I can explain."  He wished he knew how.

            Azaren did not give him the chance. "I don't know why the Esper deigned to take a simple commoner like you into Her service."  He said it mildly and smiled, but the undertone in his voice was black with contempt, the smile condescending.

            "I have magic…" Belduine began, but he knew it was hopeless.

            "Magic?  Don't be a fool. You can't turn cream into butter.  You lost control of the simplest of attack bolts."

            Belduine hands clenched and he locked his jaw to bite back an angry retort. There was nothing he could say, no counter argument to make against the truth.  He needed to keep his temper and play this cautiously.   

            "You are little more than a rogue," Azaren continued.  "You came to us as a foreigner pledging your service to the Esper.  What did you expect? Did you think we would teach you magic?  You have no parentage to recommend you and the dribble of magic power you have is corrupted.  By rights you should be begging on the streets with the rest of the rabble.  The Esper is merciful to allow you to be her _errand boy.  And yet you failed to carry out your errands.  It didn't surprise me when you returned from your first mission with nothing but a bracelet and your sly lies.  I suspected your true nature from the beginning. I recall having ordered you locked in a prison cell; what I don't understand is what meager magic _tricks_ you used to escape your confinement.  How did you pass between worlds to warn the Cursed?  Why did you do it? What did they promise you that you would risk opposing the hunger of the Esper in an attempt to save a few Cursed Ones?"_

            Belduine said nothing.  He could think of little other than lies to tell and though they came easily to mind, he knew Azaren would not believe them.  There was no hope of reconciling this botched affair by magic or guile.  Let Azaren think the Sohmas had some special bargaining chip.  He had to do things the way he was used to doing them.

            Azraren took a few steps toward him.  Belduine cast his eyes to the ground, trying to relax the muscles in his body and create a sense of serenity in the mind.  But Azaren leaned over him with a distinctive leer, and the magic energy that crackled around him made Belduine's muscles tense.  He took deep breaths to calm himself, nerves vibrating in the proximity of so dangerous a source of unnatural power.  "They must have promised you something," Azaren murmured. "What is it you want?  Why pledge your service only to betray us?"

            "I helped them," Belduine replied in as smooth a tone as he could muster, "out of the goodness of my heart.  I don't like to see innocent people caged up and abused."

            No expression passed over the Head Wizard's face, but the jolt that shocked Belduine from the crown of his head to his toes was the muscle-cramping sting of electricity.  Belduine keeled over until his face was in the dust, blinking tears out of his eyes and working his fingers spasmodically until the jarring ring in his head began to fade. 

            Azaren's voice was a deep and icy cold.  "You lie like a common thief.  You must be getting something out of this.  I will not force you to tell me here, but you _will_ tell me, and when the Esper is done with you, I will see you hanged.  If Ranlath did not want to hear your story I would kill you now.  I would throw your carcass into the streets for the beggars to pillage."

            _What do you know about thieves and beggars? Belduine thought bitterly, but the way Azaren mentioned Ranlath by name in a tone loaded with contempt and jealousy pleased him.  He wanted to nettle the overbearing, arrogant bastard further._

            "The Master Magician is here?" he asked in a weak voice.

            Azaren's voice had the splintering quality of ice so cold in cracked.  "We came here to Cabadan because he was rumored to be here.  Even now he is attending to your little friends.  When he is finished we will transport this catch to the Holdings of the Esper."

            Belduine closed his eyes and chose to say nothing.  Speaking would only bring pain and he had heard enough.  He was insignificant, completely beneath anyone's concern.  He was good at getting people to believe that.  He wished he did not so often believe it himself.

            No passion touched Azaren's tone, but the chill in his voice was hateful. "This new catch must be able to communicate with us.  The Esper will want to converse with such interesting Cursed Ones, linked together as they are. That is the _only_ reason _his assistance is solicited.  You must remember that he is not one of us.  One day I will unwork his secrets.  I am the Head Wizard.  That charlatan learned some impressive tricks wherever he came from, but he is young and weak and a fool. Before he came I was the greatest, and I will be that way again.  There has never been a wizard more powerful than I.  You would do well to serve me faithfully.  Perhaps your life will be spared.  Do not presume that this so-called Master Magician will save you.  He was most angry when he learned what disaster your antics almost caused.  I would not be surprised if he voices consent to have you destroyed."_

            Belduine clenched his jaw shut to keep from saying anything, kept his face pressed to the dust out of sheer will power.  He had to remember what he was about, keep his head and hold in his personal feelings.  

            Perhaps sensing his determination to hold something back, Azaren bent over him with a freezing smile.  His whispers stung like slashes of a whip, goading him, but Belduine gritted his teeth and tried to endure it.

            "If I spare your life, I will transfer you to the slave Holdings. If you show that you know your place and tell me what it is you hoped for by betraying Her Divinity, perhaps I will allow you to serve me again.  This time you will learn to grovel in the dirt at my feet. I will work the spirit out of you and allow you to watch as I enjoy the pleasures of my position. Do not think there will be any women and dances and drinks to comfort you.  I know where you spend your time out of service.  Perhaps I will make your favorites my Handmaidens…"

            Belduine's control wavered. Tears stung his eyes. "Shut up."  

            "…I know there is one in particular that you seek to enjoy.  Rumor has informed me that there is a mysterious someone."  He laughed.  "Fancy yourself in love perhaps?  Is that confusing to a vagrant like you? I'll find her. I'll make her beg…"

            Belduine lunged at him savagely, seeking to claw his eyes out, unaware of the shriek that ripped from his throat.  His hands made contact with the wizard's robes, but Azaren stepped smoothly back as the guards moved in, dusting off his clothes grimly as if he'd been contaminated.  As he was seized from behind, Belduine thought about lashing out with magic, and knew instinctively that all he could hope to do was scorch his own hand bad enough that the pain in his heart would be numbed.  Frustration burned in his heart.

            The guards flung him bodily to the floor and choked on his own breath.  Azaren's hooded eyes had not changed.  Shaking, Belduine remembered where he was and buried his feelings.  Never.  He would never allow it.  One day he would succeed.  "I'll kill you," he choked.  One day. "I'll kill you, Azaren."

            "I'm sure," Azaren replied coolly, and turned his eyes from him to the guards.  "Lock him up with one of the others." 

            Belduine was dragged unceremoniously from the presence of the wizards, the elite, the members of the Magic Order to which he did not belong.  Damn them, he didn't want to be!  He was used to being treated like a criminal.  He _was a criminal, or had been, but it bit like the piercing of knives when he was trying to do what was right and lawful.  He never used to care about the law.  Things had been so much easier then._

            His guards hustled him roughly from the room and down dimly lit, underground hallways.  Belduine's anger always came and went like a flashflood.  By the time he was out of the room he forgot about Azaren and was already focusing on his next move.  He had always been a survivor.  Quintessentially, that's what he was at the core.  But it was new to him to have to look after the welfare of other people. He looked around him curiously as was herded through a labyrinth of tunnels, eyeing the cells spaced side by side in some corridors and spaced farther apart in others.  He doubted the Sohmas would even be all in the same wing.  Azaren was not that stupid. 

            As he walked, Belduine was pleased to realize that he was right.  He knew this prison.  He'd been locked up here before.  He remembered the cells of Cabadan to be little more than holes dug into the rock with crude doors and small holes drilled into the stone for the passage of air.  It was not comfortable.  He worried about the Sohmas, innocents in these politics, ignorant of this place and era.  Some of them were fragile.  And there were the girls.  He did not relish any them having to remain here, though he would do what he had to do.  He wondered how many of the group the Master Magician had seen so far.  He wanted to know how much time he had.

            "Here," one of the guards murmured to the other as they halted before a door at the end of a hallway.  He produced a ring of keys and Belduine watched carefully. "We'll lock him up with this one."

            "They say they're all enchanted animals," the other murmured. "Seems cruel to put a cat in a suspended cage."

            Belduine grimaced.  It was cruel to lock up _animals_?

*****

            It was pitch black. 

            Akito's hands crawled along the walls, nails scraping the stone, digging at the rock.  He didn't know where he was.  He couldn't see anything.  He couldn't move more than four feet in any direction without colliding into cold stone walls.  He was trapped in a dark box, a physical box much like the one that ensnared his soul. The darkness was everywhere, pressing inward onto him even as it pressed outward from inside.  Demon voices gnawed at his ears, whispering terrors that smote him horrific blows.

            _You're alone.  You're alone.  You're alone._

            "Help me," he whispered, clawing at the rock until his fingers bled.  "I'm sick.  Please…"

            But nobody came.  Nobody heard.

            The panic made his limbs shake, his stomach weak.  He felt nauseous and ill and knew he was becoming fevered.  Akito knew how to get a fever.  By piling distress upon distress he filled his head with a mixture of real and phantom symptoms until his body actually broke down and someone would _have to take care of him.  Now real fear made him feel like he was going to throw up and he suddenly wished he was stronger.  He sunk pitifully to the floor, throwing his arms around his knees and huddling into the corner as icy chills rippled through him.  _

            He wanted Hatori to come and put him to bed, to check his temperature and prescribe him pills and tell him to sleep until he felt better.  He wanted Shigure to come and hold him like he used to, to soothe him and remind him that he was the most important.

            _I am god!  _

            He wanted Yuki to come over and play with him like when they were children.  A momentarily chill passed through him as he wondered about Yuki in a room like this, but it wasn't nearly as important to him as his own distress.  In a way, he thought bitterly, Yuki deserved it.  Yuki was just a rat.  Yuki didn't really love him.  Nobody did.

            _I am god…_

He wanted to hurt somebody.  Hurt them hard enough to make himself feel better.

They all hated him.  They all wanted to be free of him.  Because of that, he hated them too.  Cursed.  They were all cursed.  There was no hope.  Sometimes he just wanted to die.

            He was so lonely.  He had never been ignored before.

            _I am…_

            His fingers clutched at unyielding stone.  He would give anything to see any of them again.  They were his.  All of them.  They were all he thought about.  They were all he had. 

            A door swung abruptly open.  "So.  You're the god."

            Akito buried his pain and squinted grimly into the light.  It was not a voice he recognized.

*****

            Yuki huddled in the corner between one wall and the next, keeping his eyes firmly on the door in front of him.  The darkness was suffocating, black as ink, like the ink Akito once used to scribble voraciously on the walls when they were forced to play together as children.  He couldn't help but think of Akito, remembering how his eyes had been wild then, glinting with a madness that had never been there before.  It was in a dark room like this that Akito started saying horrible things.  So many horrible things.  Yuki believed them then.   Even now he was compelled to believe them.

He continued to stare at the door.  Eventually, someone would come through it.  Eventually, someone would let him out.   He tried to believe it.

            He had had only one visitor, a magician who woke him up at of an exhausted, stress-induced sleep to speak to him in riddles, demanding nonsense answers Yuki gave in a confused voice.  Then he left and the door had clanged shut behind him, taking the light with it, and Yuki fell back asleep.  He wasn't sure now what part of the conversation he had dreamed and what part was real, if any of it.  He thought that someone really came, but when or who or for what purpose he couldn't be sure.  He didn't think he was told.   All he knew was that it was some time ago and that the man had brought him no water.  He was dreadfully thirsty.          

            He lifted a hand to his face and felt the wound on his cheek again.  It stung, but the memory was worse than the tenderness of ripped flesh.  In his time alone in here he had managed to scrub off most of the surrounding blood, but the feel of the knife pressed to his face didn't go away.  He had thought he was going to die.  To instead be marred…  He tried not to think about it.

            _I'll just have a scar_, he thought.  _Maybe they'll leave me alone now_.

            But he hated being alone.  And why was he thinking into the future with the assumption that this nightmare was going to end and he would one day wake up to find everything back to normal?  He might be in here or some place like it for the rest of his life.

            _No… God, please…_

A familiar squeak interrupted his thoughts.

            Rats.  Or mice.  In a place like this, it shouldn't surprise him much.  Natural rats liked darkness and solitude, frequenting the quiet, kept away places.  But was Yuki really a rat?  Or was he really a person?  He could never fully decide.  He was both and he was neither.  He both hated and loved himself and a large part of his conception of who he was came with the curse.   The feel of whiskers poking his fingers did not scare him.  He turned his hand over and let the animal crawl onto it, bringing it gently up to his knee.  It was either a large mouse or a small rat, soft and furry under his fingers, its body giving curiously under the pressure of his hand.  It seemed content to nibble on his fingers, though not hard, and after awhile Yuki began to talk to it. 

            "How pathetic am I?" he said.  "To have to make a friend out of you?"  

            It was a surprise when a voice from behind the wall where his head rested talked back.

            "Is somebody in there?"

            "Yes," Yuki said, startled, and turned to face the wall.  "Hello?  Haru?  Shigure?"

            "I'm afraid not.  My name is Temien Rauol."  The speaker paused as if he expected his name to be recognized.  Yuki didn't think he could pronounce that last time if his life depended on it.   When he didn't say anything, the man continued as if he had not stopped.  "Are you one of hers?  The Espers?  Never mind.  You must be.   I'm sorry.  I won't ask what's wrong with you that it would attract her interest, but you have my sympathy."

            "Thank you," Yuki replied.  "I wish I knew what was to happen to me.  Why are you here, if I may ask?"

            "A political misunderstanding.  I won't be here long.  Is it the rats you were talking to?  These cells are near the granary.  The place is crawling with them."

            "Yes," Yuki replied. "If they're bothering you, I can try to convince them to stop."  It didn't matter to him if this fellow thought that strange, not in this place.  It seemed that people here already knew.

            "You can do that?" his companion exclaimed.  "Well, I'd appreciate if they didn't chew holes in my clothes and try to devour me in my sleep, but before you they were the only company I had.  Funny.  I used to hate rats."

            Yuki leaned his head back against the wall and smiled.  "I see," he said.  "I'll tell them not to chew your clothes."

            He laughed and it was a pleasant sound in this dark place.  "You're a polite fellow.  That's very decent of you.  If there's ever a favor I can do for you, I will be happy to oblige.  I can't conceive how it might happen, but my name might win you assistance in Breneth.  That's the country to the northwest of Evermore, if you didn't know."

            "And where are we now?"

            "Cabadan.  In the prison cells on the edge of the last town, only a few dozen miles from Evermore and the Holdings of the Esper."

            Yuki's rat climbed over his wrist, its nose poking into Yuki's shirt sleeve and its feet digging into his palm.  Yuki gently pushed its head aside, indicating that he did not want it crawling into his clothes.  The rat understood his thought.  It was always that way.

            Cabadan.  Evermore.

            What insanity had brought him to this point?  All his life he had thought being cursed was the most dreadful thing that could happen to him, had feared his destiny of living always at Akito's side more than anything.  And now he was in a prison cell, alone with a rat and a kind stranger whose name he could not pronounce.  He wanted to go back home where things made sense, to be annoyed in Shigure's house by the loudness of his family, even the members he didn't like.  Was Shigure somewhere in a cell like this?  Was Kyo?

            And what about Tohru?

            His heart stopped beating.  The rat in his hand sensed the change in him and bleated, hunkering down close to his skin in a gesture of comfort.  If Tohru was in a place like this…  He had to get her out.  He didn't know where he was but a society where innocent people were locked up in dark holes without water had to be a barbaric one.  Tohru was too innocent to be here.  She meant more to him than any one else in the world.  She was his shoulder to cry on, someone he felt loved him unconditionally in a way no one ever had before. She needed to be protected, kept somewhere safe and out of harm's way.  He couldn't stand the thought he her trapped in a room like this.

            "What is the matter?" his friend asked him. 

            "There are others here," Yuki replied.  His voice was surprisingly controlled, diplomatic and restrained, the princely voice he used when he was most afraid to be himself and reveal how he was truly feeling.  "My family members.  Fourteen of us together… plus three girls who are not a part of our curse."

            "You're cursed," the man said.  It was not a question.  "Fourteen of you, you said?  That is a large catch for the Esper.  Usually it is individuals that are sent to her Holdings."

            Yuki fingers clenched.  "Have you been to the… to the Holdings?"

            "Sort of.  I will do what I can to help you and your family."  He paused. "These women, they are important to you?"

            "Yes," Yuki replied, and knew that his feelings were clear in the way he said it. A sense of foreboding in the other man's tone alarmed him.  "Why?  Are they in more danger than myself?"

            "Perhaps.  It depends why they are being taken with you."

            Yuki closed his eyes, feeling like his companion was holding something back and furious at his own sense of helplessness.  "Listen," he said.  "I feel powerless.  If there is anything you can do, anything at all, there is one girl in particular, Tohru Honda, which concerns me.  She doesn't belong in a place like this.  She's innocent, protected, like a princess…"

            "A princess?" the man said.  He sounded surprised.  "I'll see what I can do. What's your name?"

            "Yuki Sohma.  It's a pleasure to meet you."

            "I'll remember."

*****

            Hatori wanted a cigarette.

            Since he had woken up in this forsaken pit it was close to all he could think about.  He had a pack in his pocket, but no lighter.  It stood to reason that he might want to start thinking about quitting.

            He was otherwise more concerned about the condition of his family.  Akito had been in ill health lately.  A dark, underground room would not be good for him.  And there was also Yuki to consider, who had a history of being claustrophobic in dark places because of what Akito had done to him when they were children, not to mention his weak lungs and the nasty cut on his face.  He didn't want to think about the condition of Ayame's psyche when trapped alone in a place like this, or Momiji's unattended head wound.  The list of family maladies was never ending.  The physical and mental torment of the Sohma household took no vacation and he was everybody's doctor.  It was exhausting.

            But what was he now?

            Whatever he was, he had a responsibility to all of them to maintain their physical health as best as he was able.  It unnerved him that he was unable to attend them when they were hurting.  Somehow over the years he had developed a compulsory disorder over keeping everyone in physical health.  It was the best he could do to help them with the pain of the curse.

            His other ability was of the mind, not in healing it but in erasing it.  He always thought his gift was ironic, like it was taking the easy way out of dealing with a problem.  He hated using it, hated the way it made him feel.  It always felt like he was cutting holes in a piece of fabric when he erased someone's memory, destroying threads in someone's life.  He sometimes felt that even if the fabric was ugly and stained, it would have been best to keep it connected.  Miscommunication was the center of discord in so many problems.

            He wondered if what he did with the memories of people was anything like what that strange magician had done to him.  The man had entered his prison without accompaniment, commanded him to rise and looked him straight in the eyes for several long seconds.  They exchanged a short, meaningless conversation, after which he felt strangely dizzy.  Hatori had never had his own memory erased, but he imagined it must feel something like the roaring that had rushed through his head and the clamoring of voices in his ear.  Only, instead of making him lose information, whatever the fellow had done to him somehow increased his understanding.  He knew instinctively what had happened, and it was marvelous, particularly if his whole family was being treated so.  

            But lost as they were in this strange world, he had to wonder if it would be any real help to them.           

*****

            Kyo's cage hung roughly twelve feet above the ground, suspended from an iron cable threaded through a crude pulley.  The height didn't bother him as much as the cage.  He was used to heights, but the bars that surrounded him on all sides were another matter.  There was just enough space to stand up or lay down and not a hair more.  He lay on his side and tried not to move, staring at the strands of his own hair that he could see.  It was the most colorful thing in the whole room.  He'd always hated his hair because of the jokes people made about it, but now he stared at it just to remind himself who he was and that all of this was real.  In his dreams it was often a different color.

            He didn't know how long he'd been here.  He guessed he'd been awake roughly three hours and cursed his inability to sleep very much at a time.  When he woke up he'd thought he'd been dreaming at first.  When he realized it wasn't a dream he got scared, and fear always made him angry; most of his emotions converted into anger, so much so that he wasn't always sure what he was feeling.

            The room was lit by a few torches flickering on the wall and there was another cage in the room that was empty, but somehow it only made him feel lonelier.  But it was hate he had to avoid.  

            It came upon him after the fear subsided and memory returned.  Just the bare glimmers of it pushing in on the edges had made his body convulse and start to change shape.  He remembered everything with vivid clarity.  He and Ritsu had scrambled to the top of the roof, and peering down, the first thing he had seen was Shigure kneeling near Hatori with an unconscious Momiji on his lap.  Momiji was an annoying little brat, but for some reason anguish filled him when he saw those limp blonde curls matted with blood.  Kyo had almost transformed right then and there, but even if it would have done some good against those magicians, he did not _want to be a monster.  _

            He gasped in an effort to control it, and then he saw Yuki look up, meeting his eyes for a second with an expression that changed from hopeful to the characteristically condescending almost before Kyo saw the change.  But he did see.  Yuki had looked at him and felt hope, though it had turn it into something else when he realized it was the stupid cat he was looking at.  Whether out of indignation or challenge or something else, it had given Kyo the courage to grit his teeth, shout "run!" and leap into the circle.

            What happened after was a blur.  He unleashed his rage on the robed figures around him, barely aware of Ritsu tumbling off the roof after him and flailing around in a panic.  Only now did he wonder why the magicians didn't use magic if they really were magicians.  Unfortunately, Kyo didn't think it was because they couldn't.  It seemed almost as if they didn't think they needed to, that the situation was under control.  

            And then they proved it.

            The knife slicing through Yuki's cheek still haunted him.  He couldn't chase it out of his thoughts.  It replayed over and over again in his mind, and it wasn't merely the horror at something so perfect and beautiful being carelessly damaged like that.  It was the way he felt when it happened, the revulsion that twisted his guts and weakened his knees.  He saw the way Yuki's face paled, the way his eyes widened and shifted to look at the knife approaching his skin with terror.  And then the blade penetrated, slicing into his cheek in a crescent, and Yuki's eyes clenched tight as he screamed.  Kyo had trembled with fear at the sight.  When the blade moved to his throat, and seeing the blood on Yuki's face, Kyo had almost shouted "stop!" before Akito did.

            _It's because I can't fight him if he dies, Kyo told himself in his cage, closing his eyes against the pain. _I wouldn't be able to redeem myself if someone else killed him. I hate Yuki.  He's _Akito's__ favorite._

            The strangled cry that ripped from Akito's throat had been wild.  Everyone else had been stunned, but when Akito ordered them to surrender they obeyed without question.  Kyo didn't even consider anything else.  It was clear that they had lost.  He had sunk to his knees in a stupor, only half aware of what was going on around him until Tohru's life was threatened.  The helplessness he felt then was worse than any feeling he had ever known, but fortunately it ended before he could gather the strength to retaliate.  Had the situation been different, he hoped he would have found the strength to try and save her even at the cost of his own life, but he couldn't be sure.  The thought scared him.  Was he a coward as well as a monster and a stupid, angry fool?  He had observed all that happened feeling lost and worse than useless.  When something hard and heavy struck him on the back of the head, it had been merciful to sink into darkness.

            Things didn't improve when he woke up.  He found himself in a cage hung above the ground.  It had been the fate he had dreaded all his life.  After awhile there was nothing to do but accept it and lay down.  Now he was trying to conserve energy, drifting in and out of a restless sleep filled with dreams.  But waking or sleeping he was always caged.  He supposed it was his fate.

            _Don't give up!_

"Tohru." He breathed the name into the air and opened his eyes again.

            The door to the room opened and he sat up in alarm.  He had yet had no visitors.

            The man who entered was no one he had ever seen before.  He was tall with dark hair and his eyes swept through the room briskly, his expression a grim mask wrapped in inward thoughts.  Kyo thought he was a magician, but he couldn't be sure.  He was cloaked as they were, but his cloak seemed closer to blue than green, and his face seemed more youthful than the faces of the wizards who had surrounded them in front of the main house, though just as mysterious.  And yet, he had the same air about him as the others, an impressive, forceful presence that reeked of something dangerous and supernatural.  He glanced at Kyo almost negligently, condescension radiating from every poor. When he opened his mouth, he barked at Kyo in a hurried, irritated tone.

            "Look this way, now, right into my eyes.  I haven't got all day for you."

            Kyo looked at him, mouth parting to demand to know who he was, but the man's sharp eyes cut him off before he could speak.  Something about him was intimidating, if in a different way than the murderous looks of Azaren or the contempt of Akito.  It was like looking at an avalanche that was about to bury you, and Kyo had the feeling this man would care less than the avalanche. 

            "The Cat, are you?" the man continued. "Don't look surprised.  It's my business to know.  Whose confounded idea was it to string you up there?  I haven't got time to lower the cage.  Look here.  Pay attention."  

            Anger boiled up in Kyo—he _was looking, damn it!—but he found it impossible to yell at this man.  He seethed in silence._

            "Don't get irritable.  Just repeat after me:  One kind word can warm three winter months."

            Kyo repeated the proverb in some confusion. 

            "Very good," the man murmured, seemingly more to himself.  The look in his eye was penetrating.   Slowly, something in the back of Kyo's head began to feel like wind in a cave.  The man's voice seemed to echo strangely.  He blinked his eyes rapidly, trying to listen.  "Again please," the man continued. "The flower goes back to its root."

            "The flower goes back to its root," he repeated.  The ache suddenly began to build, as if some kind of dam was forming behind his eyes.  Sitting up on his knees, he clenched his head between both hands.  "Ow.  Geez.  What are you doing?"

            "It's a bit difficult at this distance, but nothing to cry about.  Just one or two more.  Look at me."  Kyo looked.  It didn't hurt exactly.  It just felt like his brain was being dissolved or submerged.  The man's voice seemed to undulate in intensity, as if he was hearing it at varying distances.  It made him uncomfortable.  He didn't understand what was happening and he hated the feeling of being left out, of not knowing what was going on.  The man paid him no attention. "Again.  Pain is the result of pride."

             "What is the point of this?" he demanded. 

_"__faber__ est quisque fortunae suae._"

            "What?"

            But in a moment he didn't care.  A wind roared in his ears.  There was no breeze in the room, but he heard the rush.  What had been building in his head suddenly overflowed into a torrent of voices that cascaded down upon him in a waterfall of noise that left him blinking and dizzy.  The voices spoke languages he couldn't understand, whispering, murmuring and bellowing words that didn't make sense. _One kind word can warm three winter months_.  He heard the phrases he had repeated spoken again, softly, separated from the din by his trained ear.  Slowly, one by one, all the voices repeated the same phrases, gaining a sort of basic coherence.  He shook his head to clear the sounds away, and was relieved when they dissipated.  He frowned as he tried to recall that last phrase he hadn't been able to understand.  _Everyone crafts his own destiny_

            "Now," his visitor said brusquely, "can you understand me?"

            "Yeah," Kyo said, rubbing the back of his head. 

            "Can you still understand me?"

"What?  Yeah.  I already said I could."

"Excellent.  You have perhaps two hours to remain here. I still have to work through the south and eastern wings."

            "What are you talking about?  Hey!  I'm talking to you!  What did you do?  Who…?"

            But even as he was talking the man was leaving, the heavy door slamming shut on his heels.  By the time Kyo finished his first question, he was alone again.  He leaned back against the walls of his cage, bewildered and suddenly tired again.

            Time ticked by and he drifted slowly in and out of consciousness.  He wondered where the others were and also tried not to wonder about it.  That Tohru might be locked in a cage like this wrung his heart.  He couldn't help thinking and worrying about her.  She was always on his mind. She should be at home making dinner or the doing the laundry or studying for her exams.  The thought of her in a cage or a prison cell was enough to make his heart stop.  He wanted to protect her, to hold her.  Sometimes he wanted to hold her so bad it hurt him deeply.  He sat close to the bars and leaned his head down against them, closing his eyes and trying to think of something, anything he could do to help her.  She should not be trapped in a place like this.  She could not smile the way she was supposed to in a place like this.  The little flower that he loved…

            When the door opened again, Kyo was less startled, but no less intrigued.  When it was Belduine that appeared as a captive between two guards, he grimaced.  Not that kid again…

            "Here," one of the guards murmured.

            Belduine glanced up at the other suspended cage as the other guard crossed the room to operate the pulley mechanism that lowered it to the ground.  

            "Whose idea was this?" Belduine demanded. 

            "Just cooperate," the guard beside him said grimly. 

            When the cage was lowered, the other guard removed a ring of keys from his belt, flipped through them and shoved one into the iron lock on the door.  With a little jostling, it opened and Belduine was escorted through.  He stepped through without protest, his expression as mild as ever.  Kyo watched furtively, trying not to be noticed.  Once the cage door was shut and locked behind him, Belduine reached through the bars to boldly grab the guard by the sleeve.

            "Hey, will there be water?" he asked.  "I'm dying of thirst."  

            The guard slapped his hand away hard enough to bang Belduine's wrist into the bars.  "Touch me again and I'll break your fingers."  The boy winced, but made no complaint, merely shaking his hand as the guard turned his back on him.  Kyo swallowed, wondering if the guard really would break someone's fingers for asking for water.  He was thirsty too.

            "Raise the cage."

            Belduine sat down as his prison was lifted into the air.  As he became more level with Kyo, he smiled circumspectly, almost appearing to be enjoying himself.  When the cage came to a halt, Belduine grabbed onto the bars to steady himself as it swung, peering down at the guards beneath them.  The two men did not stay long. They spoke to one another in inaudible voices for a few minutes and then left the prisoners to themselves.  Once again, the door swung shut behind them.

            "So you're a captive too," Kyo said blandly.  "Unless this is yet another ploy to get us to trust you."

            "No," Belduine said.  He stood slowly, balancing himself, and reached through the bars of his cage to fiddle with the lock.  "For good or evil, I've thrown my lot in with you.  Unless you'd rather stay here."

            "What do you mean?  You know, I've already tried opening the…"

            Belduine's door swung open.  Kyo lost track of his words, staring at the cage across from him, the door swinging ajar on its hinges.

            "How did you do that?  Magic?"

            "No," Belduine said with a regrettable sigh.  "And I can't even claim to have picked the lock.  It would have taken me some time to work it open that way and time isn't something we've got.  It's riskier this way, but if I'm going to help you, I don't see any other way of doing it."  He juggled something in his hand, something that jingled.  "I wish I _was_ a wizard, but you'll have to settle for the slight of hand of a lightweight thief.  It's what I fall back on most of the time.  Here."

            With a light toss, Belduine lofted a ring of keys into the air.  Kyo reached out a hand and caught them before they could get caught on the bars of his cage, surprised at how large and heavy they weighed in his hand.  By the time he got his cage open, Belduine had climbed out of his prison and dropped to the floor.  It was a bit of a drop, but not too bad.  Belduine stumbled a little but otherwise didn't seem fazed by it.  Kyo growled under his breath.  He could do better than that…

            He finally found the right key and was satisfied to hear the door click open as he twisted it.  Tucking the keys in the pocket of his jacket, he slid to the edge of the open door, grabbed tightly to the bars, and slowly lowered himself out of the cage the length of his body.  Once he was dangling from the edge of his former prison, he took a deep breath and let go.  His feet hit the ground almost before the thought of falling registered in his brain.  He landed with a grunt, knees bent to absorb the impact that jolted his body, but he did not stumble.  

            "Any idea how much time we've got?" Belduine asked him.  "Did Ranlath come to you yet?  He's supposed to talk to everybody.  Did he say anything useful?"

            "Who?" Kyo asked.  "Some young magician came right before you did, if _that's_ who you mean.  Talked nonsense for the most part, but he did say something about having to do the south and east wings.  He said I have perhaps two hours left."

            Belduine grimaced. "Then we've got less than that now.  We'll have to make the best of it.  Let's get going.  They'll miss their keys soon and I don't want to be discovered here."

            Belduine led and Kyo followed, both of them at a cautious run.  For the first time in a long while, Kyo felt more excited than scared.  Charging in on a group of wizards might have been a bad idea, but he was all for escaping from prison.   If they were caught they were caught, but no way in hell was he going to stay here! 

            Belduine stopped in an ill-lit corridor where heavy doors lined one side of the wall at uneven intervals. He knocked on each of them, whispering "Sohma?" in a voice just loud enough to be heard.  There was no response.  After a dozen seemingly empty cells, Belduine showed no signs of despair, but he was starting to look a little frustrated.  

            "Tohru," Kyo panted as they came to a corner, halting to check both ways for the movements of any guards.  "We have to save Tohru.  Where do you think they might have put her?"

            Further down the hall, a pair of spears hung on the wall, the blades crossing a quarter ways down the haft.   Belduine turned to them as Kyo knocked on another set of doors, still with no answer.   When he turned back around, Belduine had pulled one of the spears off the wall and was inspecting the blade.

            "I don't know," Belduine said in answer to his question. "Hopefully the way we have to go.  There's an exit in the north wing by the edge of town.  It's guarded, of course, but not much, or not the last time I was here anyway.  This is supposed to be a minimum security prison, a holding ground where offenders await trial.  Luckily, I've been here for such an offense before.  I don't think Azaren knows about it or I doubt he would have chosen this place.  But fortunately Azaren knows very little about me."   With a sudden movement, Belduine tilted the spear and broke it sharply across the knee.   It splintered, the last two feet of the shaft dropping to the ground.   Belduine twirled the remaining four foot weapon in one hand. "This way, I think," he said, gesturing with the weapon to a darkened passage leading down a tunnel where some of the torches had gone out.  "Follow me."

            Kyo followed.  "I hope you really mean to rescue people this time," he muttered. 

            "Oh, don't worry," Belduine said.  "I'm as concerned about Tohru as you are.  Arisa and EC too.  It'd be nice if we could spring a few more from your family as well.  I'm a little worried about leaving Akito here.  And Yuki."

            "Okay, I understand about Akito, but why Yuki?"  Belduine couldn't possibly know that Yuki was afraid of the dark, or that he had asthma. 

            "Because of the way he looks," Belduine said quietly. 

            Kyo didn't get it.  So Yuki had a girly face, so what?  "I don't understand."

            "Well, he's probably safe since he's cursed. For the most part, people leave anything that belongs to the Esper well enough alone.  But the culture in Evermore is peculiar.  Except for a few exceptions, the staff is all male.  All the magicians are male, all of the servants are male.  The only women in the province are those that make up the Esper's cursed collection and the handmaidens."

            "Handmaidens?  I don't know what that is."

            "It's…kinda what it sounds like.  The handmaidens are in Evermore because every few years or so one serves a function for the Esper.   They are girls sent to the Holdings as gifts from the nations that tithe to the Esper, but they usually end up becoming the property of the magicians.  The magicians hold places of power in Evermore and throughout the world.  They are a class of their own, an Order they call it, but they are still men."

            What Belduine was getting at dawned on Kyo suddenly and he almost missed a step.  

            "Magicians don't get married and they don't raise families," Belduine explained.  "Some of them find it demeaning to associate with women as if they were equals at all.  But they still have appetites.  That's one of the functions that the handmaidens serve, though not their only function."

            Kyo was horrified, his mind scrambling to get around the idea.  "What's that got to do with Yuki?"

            Belduine sighed. "Probably nothing since he's cursed.  But…" he hesitated, "not all men like women.  And those that don't sometimes tend to be more aggressive about it.  I worry that Yuki is too tempting."

            "Shit."  It was the only thing Kyo could think of to say.  When boys at the school joked about Yuki being girlish it was funny, particularly because Yuki was so sensitive about it.  But this was not funny.  This was sick.  He had _ever_ never wanted to think about...  "Wait a minute!" he said, struck by something else.  He was at first relieved by the distraction, but when he realized what it was he was thinking, it terrified him.  "What about the Yankee and the Psychic?  What about _Tohru_?"

            "Yeah," Belduine said grimly.  They emerged into another one of those long hallways lit periodically with torches.  Against the left wall were doors every couple feet, six or seven cells all together. "That's why they're a priority," Belduine said, knocking on the first door with his spear, waiting for a reply, and then moving onto the next.  "And why we need to hurry."

            "Damn it," Kyo said.  He was shaking with nervous anger, his revulsion welling up in sickening waves.  It wasn't possible.  He wouldn't allow it.  If anyone _ever_ touched Tohru without her explicit consent he would kill them.  He would rip their head from their neck!

            "Kyo?"

            It was not Belduine who spoke, though Belduine whipped his head around when he heard the voice.  It came from one of the cells further down the hall, muffled by dirt and stone but still audible.

            "Kyo, is that you?"

TBC

A/N:

It's 4:30 am and I am dead tired.  Therefore, feedback for feedback will be short. I do it only to express my gratitude and out of the hungry wish that readers will continue to respond so marvelously.

**Melinda the D poet:**  I am sorry to hear that you are ill and I am praying that you recover quickly from whatever ails you.  I send you all my best wishes and am tickled pink that you would print out my story!  I hope you continue to like it and keep reviewing.  I can't tell you how amazing and uplifting it is to get such a wonderful response from you.  I try not to switch POVs in the same scene.  If I do, it's unusual.  As for grammar and spelling mistakes… they happen in every chapter.  I'm just too lazy to fix them.  Lol.  As for Hana… I take a creative license with the material, but she shocks the fangirls, right?

**Niana**** Kuonji:  Bel-chan?  I squealed when I read that!  That's so cute!  I never thought of calling him that!  It pleases me greatly when readers like an OC.  Thank you very much!  Please review this chapter.**

**Sakura:** I love CCS.  I just decided that I did.  *contemplates SxS fluff fics* hmm… Anyway, thank you very much.  I hope you keep reading.

**Tc-3:**  Wow! Thank you!  I really like reviews. Thank you for reviewing both chapters.  That really meant a lot to me.  ^_^  I hope the story is still suspenseful even though I'm getting into more original stuff.  Please tell me what you think!

**R Junkie:** lol. I'm sorry about Yuki.  That's all I can say at the moment.  But some yukiru moments will be coming up soon, so you should stay tuned for that.  ^_~  As for the globe thing, it doesn't hurt anyone.  It just identifies them. Like a blueprint. I'll probably explain it in more detail later.

**Kisu****:  I think you are new!  Thank you very much for reviewing!  I hope you return to read this installment.  The story is original, yes.  I'm a little worried it is going to be TOO original, but my hope is that people who like fantasy will dig it.  As for Akito showing compassion, yes…sort of, as you said.  Heh heh.  Your compliments are encouraging.  Thank you.**

**Grrl**** N:  Yay!  Happy to see you back again ^_^.  That action stuff is hard to write so I hope it wasn't too confusing.  *sweatdrop*  I tried to be coherent without getting too bogged down with tangents.  Anyway, thank you very much and please tell me what you think of this chapter.**

**Calendar:**  Hey, glad to see you.  You wrote a very panicked review, and I like panic.  It made me grin.  Anyway, I hope you are still interested and following along.  

**SAL-chan:**  Your review was so awesome!  I don't know if I really made you yell or not, but you're pretty convincing about it and that's so cool! As for Belduine, he's a tricksy character, but I hope you "get" him eventually, when he starts to show his consistencies.  As for your story, I am definitely going to read it, and review it too, but it's late and I'm stressed out at the moment.  If I like it, I will also recommend it to other people.  Thank you for reading!

**The Great Thing:**  Welcome back!  It's good to see you. And thank you for the compliments!  I don't know if I'm cut out to be a real author but I'm trying.  Now that we're in Evermore, this story is going to take on a different feel out of necessity.  I hope it is still good though.  Thank you very much for your kind words!  Please tell me your reactions to this chapter.

**Merryday**:  thank you very much! I hope you didn't have to wait too long.  ^_^

**Tri:**  *giggles*  You know, I really enjoyed reading your review.  It just made me tremendously happy.  Reactions from readers (even fake ones) are so quality and you mentioned specifically the things that made you react that way.  Momiji will wake up in the next chapter.  ^_~   As for Belduine… well I'll let you draw your own conclusions.

**Kyra**** Rivers:  Holy Cow am I glad I solicited YOU into reviewing.  I've NEVER had a reviewer as wonderful as you and I can't express how much I gaped in astonishment while reading your… essay.  I LOVED IT.  However, don't feel compelled. I want to her all your thoughts and it excites me that you are obviously a very intelligent reader and a critical thinker and yet still like my story, but I don't want to feel like I'm forcing you.  Your comments were dead-on, though, and pleased me greatly.  ^_^ I hope I keep getting comments from you.  Heh heh. I feel so proud that you like Belduine now. He's got issues, but I'm fond of him.  *hugs original character*.   As a bonus, I'll let you know that thouh Momiji wasn't really in this chapter, but he will be in the next one!  **

**Mizaya**:  Thank you for BETA READING !!!!   You are awesome.  Your comments were helpful.  I added some stuff to the end of the scenes plus a Hatori scene.  Some of the information is important so please let me know what you think!  Anyway, it's 5 am now…  O_o  and I have school tomorrow.  Good luck with your presentation.  I'll talk to you later.  ^_^

*silently hails the silent readers*  

Thanks everybody.  Please take a moment of your time to review this story.  It would mean a lot to me.  ^_^


	13. Rescue

Um… I apologize if people receive two emails alerts for this chapter (author alerts).  I uploaded it twice because Fanfiction.net was acting weird the first time and one person I know said they never got a notification.  ^_^

This is a long chapter!  They won't all be this long. ^_^ But it _is one reason it took so long to get out.  I was determined to get all the way to the end of my idea.  That, and finals and holiday stuff and social engagements, etc; you know the drill.  I delayed filling out my grad school application to write this, so I hope it is appreciated.  Please let me know by reviewing.  Thanks and happy reading!_

Evermore

Chapter 13

By Zapenstap

            "Kyo?"

            In the underground prisons of Cabadan, his name sounded like a tiny silver bell struck in a lead box.  Kyo's ears pricked forward and he quickly scanned the hallway, trying and detect where it had come from.  The prison cells were shut tight, the sound of his name swallowed by the stale air as soon as it had been uttered.

            "Kyo, is that you?" 

            Half frantic, he picked his way along the prisons lining the stone hallway, knowing that someone was there, that Tohru, one of his cursed cousins, or one of Tohru's friends was nearby.  His heart sped up involuntarily.  He wanted to find Tohru most, not only because of the way he felt about her, but because of what Belduine had said about handmaidens and the danger of being a girl in a place like Evermore.  He _had to find Tohru, but if he was honest with himself, he wanted to find everybody, anybody, and he couldn't tell who the voice belonged to; it was difficult to hear through the thick wooden doors and stone walls.  He leaned his ear against the rock hoping to detect the source of the piping voice that had called his name.  This deep below the surface, the rock walls sweated, the moisture gleaming eerily in the ruddy orange glow of the torchlight that wavered in sconces along the walls.  When he touched them, he expected to feel water, but all they felt was strangely smooth.  The voice had come from near here, he was sure, but he couldn't hear anything now._

            Behind him, Belduine shouldered his spear and turned his head in the direction they had come, anxiously watching the other end of the hall as if expecting to be discovered at any moment.  When he turned back, his bright dark eyes seemed to be pushing for speed.

            Kyo knew time was of the essence.  "Who's there?" he said in as soft a voice as he could manage wherein he thought he would still be heard.  He whispered first into the stone and then more loudly down the hallway.  "It _is_ Kyo.  Hello?  Tohru?  Where are you?"

            There was a moment of hopeful silence before the reply drifted back to him through the wall, excited and desperate now.  "Kyo, over here!"

            His eyes widened.  "Kagura."

            He recognized her voice now.  At first he was concerned that it was not Tohru, but in a moment he was simply relieved that someone had been found. He trotted down the line of cells to where he had distinctly heard Kagura speak, the tones of her sweet personality sounding like the smothered cheeps of a bird in a sack.  He ran his hands over the heavy wooden door of her prison, his eyes searching for the lock.  "Kagura," he whispered. "Hold on. I'm going to get you out."

            He thought he could almost feel her hands pressing against the other side of the door and imagined her kneeling in the dark, breathing anxiously as she waited.  Briefly, he wondered if his rescuing her would complicate their relationship, but he never considered leaving her for a moment.  As chaotic as Kagura had been in her obsession with him, he loved her when it counted, if not the way she always him to.  

            Kyo reached into his coat pocket for the ring of keys Belduine had tossed to him in their own prison room only to discover that they were gone.  Just when he was about to make an exclamation, Belduine himself slipped suddenly between Kyo and the door, elbowing him out of the way and shoving a key from the same ring into the lock and jerking it sharply to the left.  

            "Hey!" Kyo seethed, clenching his fists.  "If you're going to steal from me, don't!  It creeps me out.  Just ask!"

            The door swung open and Belduine tossed the keys at Kyo without looking back.  Kyo fumbled in catching them as Belduine rescued Kagura, grasping her by the arms and pulling her out of a prison cell that was smaller than a broom closet and dark as pitch.  Kagura was trembling in Belduine's grip and there was dirt in her hair and on her clothes, but other than that she seemed to be in perfect health.  She even had the cat backpack she had made still strapped to her back, complete with all the supplies Belduine had filled it with from Shigure's house.

            "Glad to see you!" Belduine said brightly.  "I'd give you a hug, but that would probably only complicate matters."

            Bewildered, Kagura disentangled herself from Belduine and sprang at Kyo.  "Kyo!" she wailed and he braced himself before she collided with his chest, flinging herself so hard in his direction that he stumbled.  The force of her charge knocked him down and they both collapsed in a pile.  He took the brunt of the fall, landing heavily on the stone floor with Kagura in his lap, her arms wrapped around his neck so tightly he almost couldn't breathe.  She sobbed into his ear, exclaiming in wild cries all her woes and worries since she had arrived in this strange place.  After the initial shock and pain faded, he was sympathetic to her fears, but after a moment he began to feel annoyed.  Tohru was still out there, in a dark cell like this one, and the others too.

            "Get off me, Kagura!  We have to find the others!"

            She sat up, wiping her eyes with the back of her hands, her dark hair streaming down on either side of her face, stringy and tangled. "You don't care about me?  Even after this?  After I've been locked in a dark room with only my hopeful thoughts of you to comfort me?  Kyo, you're so mean!"

            "There just isn't time, peaches," Belduine said, and even as Kyo rallied for a second shouting volley, he felt Kagura's weight being lifted off of him.  Belduine had picked her up by the waist and she stopped crying with the unexpectedness of it, blinking large gray eyes as he pulled her to her feet.  She stood still while he dusted her off and then circled around her to inspect the bag on her back.  "Oh good, you've still got everything," Belduine said, sounding relieved.  "That makes things a little easier, but we haven't a moment to lose."

            Kyo scrambled up off the ground, glaring at Belduine for no reason he could identify.  Kagura seemed content to stand silently, having already blown off her emotions in one fitful burst and now simply looking lost.  "Where is this place?" she whispered.  

            "Prison," Belduine said cheerily.  "In Cabadan.   Do you know where any of the others are by any chance?"

            Kagura looked around her.   "I don't know," she said. "Not too long ago a man came to me and said all sorts of strange things.  I think he came from that direction," she pointed and then turned, "and went the way you came."

            Belduine picked up his broken spear from where he had leaned it against the wall to wrestle with Kagura and started off.  "Good.  There isn't any time to waste.  Are you guys coming?"

*****

            Shigure sat up in the corner, leaning his head against the wall adjacent to his back and tried to think his way out of this dark box.  

            Except for a small crack in the wall that let in only the thinnest trickle of light, Shigure's prison was completely dark.  He could only make out dim shapes, his very hands merely shadowy forms before his eyes.  Some time ago he had been awoken by a strange visitor, and had since been left alone to explore this new confinement.  Locating the door by touch hadn't yielded him any answers.  The tough wood seemed to be permanently lodged in stone and the lock was some twisty, heavy metal thing he couldn't get a handle on.  The crack in his wall told him only that somewhere beyond there was at least one source of light, and from the amount of light that seeped into his cell, only one.  It was too high up to look through.  

            His sense of hearing was more useful.  Now and again he heard rustlings and suspected there were other cells on either side of him, possibly occupied by members of his family, but so far he had refrained from speaking or making much noise himself.  He didn't want to endanger anyone needlessly.  He didn't know whether or not there were guards at the doors or who else might be locked up in these dungeons.  If there were guards, he wasn't sure what they would do to prisoners who tried to communicate.  

            He waited for what seemed like hours, listening for sounds beyond his confinement, for talking or movement or anything that might indicate danger.  But whoever it was who had visited him after he first woke up did not return and gradually he began to feel that their captors were content to leave them alone.  Taking a deep breath, Shigure shifted his weight and touched the wall beside him, thinking how best to convey a message.  Not by talking, to start at least, not until he was sure.

            He hoped there was not a great risk, but even if there was, something must be done.  Perhaps the magicians were used to prisoners being defeated, and perhaps it was best to behave accordingly, but Shigure could not sit still and do nothing while there was still hope.  He had struggled against his family's curse for years, trying to do the impossible in the face of disapproval and danger, but he believed his defiance was worth something then and had to believe it was still worth something now.  In situations like these, someone had to do what needed doing, whatever the cost.  It would be him, of course.  No one else was willing to shoulder the burden.

            Cautiously, he knocked on the wall beside him, a familiar call that had an answer someone from his world would know.  Silence followed for several moments, but after a few seconds of listening to his own heart beat in the darkness, Shigure tried the knock again.  When he was about to try his voice, he heard a response, two beats that lacked strength and surety, but definitely an answer.  It was followed by a call, a whisper of a voice he could barely hear.  Closing his eyes, Shigure pressed an ear to the wall.

            "Hello?" a timid voice whispered. 

            The voice calling was faint, weaker even than the knocks, but elation swept through Shigure at the sound of it.  "Momiji," he breathed aloud.  He forgot to be quiet, his urgency raising his intended whisper to a clearly uttered sound.  Momiji's voice had sounded thick and quiet, but he was conscious.  "Momiji, it's Shigure.  Are you all right?"  He remembered the boy's head wound, the blood on his curls and Hatori's grave face.

            "Shigure?"  The voice responded lightly, almost airily this time, as if its owner were half asleep.  "Shigure, what is going on?  Where are we?  What happened?"

            "Everything is all right for the moment.  How do you feel?  You had a nasty wound on your head."

            "It's… it's all right," Momiji said after a moment's hesitation.  "I think I'll be okay.  I'm just a little dizzy when I try to stand."  The way he said it made Shigure think it was probably more than a little dizzy, because he knew Momiji's tendency to present things in as hopeful a light as possible, but he did not ask questions.  He was conscious and that was a good sign.  Ultimately, it sounded like he would be fine, though his injuries might keep him immobile for awhile.  "I thought that I was dreaming," Momiji continued after a minute.  "Where are we?"

            Momiji's voice was that of a small and uncertain child, and in this dark world, Shigure couldn't blame him, but a certain amount of brightness glistened in its tone, blossoming from some reservoir of optimism that never ran dry in the boy.  It brought Shigure a feeling of hope that was almost akin to joy, something he was afraid to admit for himself, but which he coveted in other people.  For a moment, the darkness of his life and the tasks he had set before him seemed less daunting.   He pulled himself up to his knees and touched the rocks dividing him from his young cousin.  "Momiji, listen to me."

            He explained as well as he could all that had happened since Belduine was taken prisoner and brought before Akito.  He kept some matters to himself, his speculations about their enemy and their prospects, and spun the recent events in as positive a light as he could contrive.  Momiji never could abide in darkness after all, but he had to know the basics of what was going on.  He had always sought light places, and though his sensitivity enabled him to confront many evils, Shigure would not burden others with his personal fears and disillusions.  The most important thing, he told the boy, was that the family stick together and keep their heads on straight.  He would take care of everything else.

            "I'm worried about Tohru," Momiji said quietly when he was finished.  "She shouldn't be in a place like this."

            "No," Shigure agreed.  "She shouldn't be."

            "And Akito.  It must be hard for him to be alone.  He's not used to that.  I can tell things about him, you know, even though he hates me."

            Shigure closed his eyes.  In some ways they were all alone, all the time, everybody in the world, but he understood what Momiji meant and it worried him too.  Still, if nothing terrible happened, perhaps these new experiences would be good for Akito; perhaps they would lend him some perspective.  Only, Shigure didn't think Akito had the maturity to learn from bad experiences.  He was underdeveloped, even by the standard of children, and seemed incapable of thinking beyond his own misery.  Perhaps if anyone knew Shigure darkest secrets, they would say he was equally as selfish, but Akito seemed to have no conception of choice.  Where Shigure chose his path, Akito didn't seem to see other alternatives.  Did that make Shigure a worse person than Akito, for actively _choosing his evils?  The thought sometimes kept him awake at night.  Surely intentions must count for something.  _

            "Do you think we will be rescued?" Momiji whispered. 

            He wanted to say yes, to assure Momiji that there was always hope as long as freedom was worth fighting for, but he couldn't think of anything concrete to say that would be of comfort.  Just like with the curse.  He always hoped it could be broken, but he didn't dare believe in it fully.  He tried to smile and think of a joke to ease the tension so that the situation would not sound so serious, but laughter fell dead on his lips.  Instead, he could only listen to his heart thud loudly in his chest as he knelt in the shadows, divided from his wounded, younger cousin by a wall of cold, hard stone.   In the darkness where no one could see, he allowed the distress he felt to show on his face.  "Who would rescue us?" Shigure asked at last.  His voice was quiet and he tried to keep his tone as straight-forward as possible, but it quavered at the last, and he sucked in air to stop the sound.

            "I don't know," Momiji said.  "But don't be sad, Shigure.  Everyone is going to depend on you, you know.  Maybe someone will escape this prison and we will all be rescued and go home.  Can't you believe that?"

            He couldn't answer, overcome by a feeling he couldn't describe.  "Momiji…"  He began, but then something occurred to him.

            Maybe someone _would_ escape, if not the way Momiji envisioned it.  But if so, would he rescue them?  And if he did, could they trust him?

            As if his revelation was in concordance with a higher Providence, it was at that moment that he heard voices from the hallway.  Momiji didn't speak but Shigure knew he had heard them too and was listening.  

            "Kyo," a voice he recognized said brightly, "I'm scared.  Hold my hand!" 

            "No, damn it, I'm not going to hold your hand!" Softer.  "I thought we already talked about this?"

            "But it's not _like_ that.  I just want to hold your hand.  Can't we be friends anymore?"

            "Hey, I think someone's here," Belduine's voice broke in over the conversation.

            Getting to his feet, Shigure crossed the short distance in his cell between the far wall and the door and banged upon it just loud enough to be heard.  "Kyo!  Kagura!  Belduine!"

            To his surprise, his call wasn't the only one to sound in the din.  A garble of other voices rose in a tumult of exclamations from further away than he had heard the voices of Kyo and Kagura.  For a moment Shigure was baffled, but then it dawned on him.  There must be more cells on the other side of the hallway!

            "Hey, Orange-top, is that you out there?"

            "I told you I felt them coming, Arisa."  

             "And it was simply _amazing that you did, though not as amazing as myself, I suppose.  Still, I appreciated the information.  Although the pleasure of such a lovely audience—as you two lovely ladies have proved to be—is a privilege not to be spurned, I was starting to fret about the condition of my clothes in this hellish little hole.  It was most comforting to me when you told us of impending rescue, inspiring even, though you did interrupt one of my favorite stories about myself, about one of the best capers during my High School years.  The Student Council secretary was most offended by that little stunt I almost had time to explain to you, but I assure you I grew on her over time."_

            "Aya!" Shigure exclaimed almost as soon as the litany had begun, and his despair was forgotten in a sudden upsweep of elation. 

            "Shigure!" Ayame shouted back through rock walls.  "My long lost love!  I didn't even know you were over there!"

            "Aya! My sweet!  The sound of your voice is like a ray of sunshine in these pits of despair!"

            "Will you two give it a rest?" Kyo snapped. "We're trying to perform a rescue."

            "Just don't botch it, Orange-top!" Arisa hollered.

            "Shut it, Yankee!  I don't _have to rescue you!"_

            "Hey, Shigure, could you back up a bit?  This door swings inward."

            Shigure blinked as Belduine's voice, much closer than Kyo's, whispered from just beyond the wall.  Shigure stepped back, adjusting his robe and swiping his hair out of his eyes as the lock in his door clicked and turned with heavy, grinding protest.  A moment later, it swung inward and soft torchlight flooded his cell with a red-golden glow.

            Freedom.

            There must have been something in his expression as he stepped out, because Belduine murmured, "not yet," before dashing to the other side of the room where Kyo was arguing through a stone wall with Tohru's ex-gang member friend.  Belduine let Saki out first, opening her door with an expert twist of a ring of keys he held firmly in one hand.  When the Vibe emerged, she might have been coming out of her front door for all the impression imprisonment had made on her.  Her eyes were the same smoldering pools of black ink that they always had been, but for some reason she gave Belduine a slight smile when he paused, holding the door open for her.

            "You okay, EC?" he asked.

            "Yes," she said. "I was not harmed."

            Grinning, Belduine slammed the prison door closed behind her and bounded in front of Kyo to let Arisa out of confinement.  Kyo glared and delivered insults to everyone in a five foot vicinity as Belduine pulled back the door and ducked around him to move on to the next.  Arisa emerged covered in dirt and what looked like tears dried on her cheeks, but her expression was all fire and audacity.  She clenched her hands into fists and began verbally assaulting Kyo as soon as he came into view, who after a moment just took it with a resigned, expectant expression.  Kagura looked strangely content and almost dreamy, smiling in the middle of the hallway with one knuckle pressed against her teeth and happy tears in her eyes as her family members were released one by one.  Belduine let out Ayame last, tripping backward when Aya danced out of his cell flamboyantly, flailing dangerously and fixing them all with a dashing smile fit for a cocktail party.  Despite his complaints, his red robes were untouched by any kind of dirt or grime and his hair looked as if he had spent his time in confinement combing it. 

            "Aya," Shigure said simply and fondly, and was again encouraged when his friend smiled at him with his usual, undaunted bravado.  If Ayame had been afraid in his cell, he did not show it, and he had not been alone.  It was fortunate that Saki and Arisa had been on the other side of the hallway near him. No doubt Ayame had had no qualms in sharing his thoughts and stories with them.  All three of them appeared to be in good health and adequate spirits.  A strange contrast to his own doubts and fears, unless everyone was working to hide them as hard as he was.  Like Kagura, Saki and Arisa wore their school backpacks still. 

            "Anybody else?" Belduine said, knocking consecutively on the doors next to the ones that had held those he had already freed.

            "Momiji," Shigure said in a hushed voice, gesturing to the cell beside his.  "But easy, he has a head injury."

            Kyo stuffed his hands in his pockets, glancing down at the ground to hide his concern, and everyone fell silent as Belduine opened the door to Momiji's prison.  "Hey, Momiji?" Belduine whispered cheerily, and ducked into the darkness. 

            Everyone waited for a moment in silence, quiet now that the elation of reuniting had passed and they once more realized their danger.  The seconds that ticked by while they waited for Momiji to emerge were slow and torturous.  Kyo kept glancing around nervously and even the unshakable Saki Hanajima turned her head to watch the pathway from whence Belduine had come with Kyo and Kagura.  After half a minute, Belduine returned from Momiji's cell, but he returned alone.

            "We'll have to leave him here," he announced.

            "Wha…?" Kagura exclaimed, jolted out of her worry.  "We can't do that."

            Belduine shrugged.  "He can't walk with his head like that.  I can only take those who can run and I prefer to take those who can also fight."

            Kagura's mouth worked silently.  Kyo and Ayame appeared stunned.  "We can't leave him here," Kagura repeated.  "Shigure?"

            Belduine averted his eyes and stepped aside in deference as Shigure brushed by him and ducked into Momiji's prison.  Momiji sat propped up against the back wall, his head lolling to one side and his eyes glassy.  He blinked when Shigure knelt beside him and smiled weakly when he felt Shigure's hand land gently on his head.  "Momiji?"  Shigure whispered.  "If you can't walk, I'll carry you out."

            "No," Momiji sighed in a tiny voice.  "It's not safe.  For you _or me.  I'll be okay.  Just leave me here and get yourselves out."_

            Shigure stared at him.  "We're not leaving you behind."

            His smile was mature, understanding, his eyes shimmering in the darkness as he bit his lip and pulled his knees in closer to his chest.  The nobility in his expression pierced the soul.  "I'm not going to die or anything if you do.  I just can't be moved.  And besides, you need to rescue Tohru!  And you know you can't leave Akito here, right?  So get them out, won't you? As a favor to me?  You can leave me here to heal properly.  I'll slow you down in my condition and you will have to make a run for it."

            "Momiji…"

            "It's okay, really.  I know it doesn't mean anything about how anyone feels about me, and besides, I want to stay.  I want to go to Evermore and meet the Esper.  It sounds like a fascinating place, doesn't it?  Like something out of a book.  I've always wanted to see a real fairy."

            "Shigure," Belduine's voice came to him.  He had ducked half inside the prison cell, his eyes glinting in the light from the torch outside. "You comin' or not?  If we stay any longer we will be caught.  Saki says she thinks she can detect where Tohru and Akito are, and Ayame says that Yuki was taken down this way too.  We're on borrowed time.  We have to go."

            "Go," Momiji seconded.  

            Shigure stood, but managed it only in distress, torn between his desire for freedom and his sense of duty to his family.  To leave Momiji here felt like betrayal, even if it was practical.  He had always felt protective of the younger ones, though Momiji had always been more in Hatori's charge.  Still… 

            He found himself following Belduine in something of a daze, afraid to look back at Momiji's face.  It was just starting to dawn on him the kind of situation they were in.  Kyo and Kagura were watching him with grave expressions as the group converged in the middle of the hallway.  Nobody spoke. Belduine pulled the sole remaining torch from the wall and handed it to Kyo to carry without words.  He shifted what looked like a broken spear under his arm and gestured down the hallway.  The path they were taking was submerged in complete darkness.

            "Let's go," Belduine said.

            Shigure followed, and as they passed down the tunnel in as quick of a run as they could manage, he realized that by taking the only torch, they had also taken the last light from Momiji's world.  Guilt rent his mind like a cleaver, but he kept moving.

            His mind was in torment, his contemplation so involving that he didn't realize why Belduine let out a sudden and sharp warning, dashing to unlock two cell doors side by side in the hallway. 

            "Everyone into the cells!  Hide!"

            They scrambled, Kagura yelping and Kyo hauled her sideways into a cell door with Saki and Arisa ducking in after them.  At the last moment, Shigure grabbed Ayame's sleeve and followed Belduine into the cell next to it.  With three or four bodies stuffed into one place, the quarters were particularly tight.  At first he didn't understand the emergency, responding only to demand, but then he heard the footfalls.

            Shouting followed from somewhere nearby almost as soon as Belduine pulled their cell door partially shut, careful not to close it completely.  Shigure and Ayame stood near the wall while the thief knelt near the floor, his dark bright eyes staring through the small crack he had left open.   Light flared as a stream of torches lit up the hallway and a cluster of heavy black boots passed by them, thudding against the stones in accompaniment to the jingling or metal.  It was a stream of people, whoever they were, and they passed by in a torrent, neither pausing to check the empty cells nor seeming to care.

            A minute of petrified silence passed before Belduine flung open the door and waved for Ayame and Shigure to follow him out, calling softly for Kyo and the others before starting down the hall again, almost on the heels of whatever hasty procession had passed by.  

            "Who was that?" Kyo demanded as he and the girls caught up.  He had hung his torch on the wall at the last second and retrieved it now, his hands visibly shaking.  "Should we be chasing those guys like this?  What if they were guards looking for us?"

            "They weren't," Belduine said, and his expression was grim. "I could see them and they weren't guards of the Esper or of the town.  It seems we're not the only rescue party tonight.  The diversion might help us, but we still have to hurry."

             Their pathway came to a fork, with one main path heading directly north and a winding staircase just to the left of it descending even deeper down into the earth.  Shigure blanched at the sight of that narrow, crammed staircase, already feeling the weight of the world on top of them and wondering if they would ever see the light of day if they went down there.  Kyo swung the torch around, lighting first one path and then the other.

            "Downstairs," Belduine said, taking a deep breath. "I know the exit is the other way, but I don't think there are any more cells before the climb upward to the landing and I'll bet my best boots that at least one of your number is down there."

            "Perhaps some of us should make a break for it while others go on a rescue mission," Arisa suggested.  "If it's important that some of us aren't caught, maybe that would increase our chances."  She didn't say it like she wanted to escape herself.  On the contrary, she seemed more determined to go down the stairs by the way she leaned toward them slightly.

            Belduine seemed to consider the proposition for a moment, but then shook his head.  "No.  There will be guards at the door.  We should stick together, or you all should stick with me anyway."  He shifted his spear to his right hand and gestured for them to begin their journey down the steps.  Shigure wondered why he rejected the proposition, but he wasn't willing to argue the point.  He didn't know this place, and though it made him nervous, he felt he had to trust this kid.

            "What if we run into those other guys?" Kyo muttered.  "Who were they anyhow?"

            "Soldiers of Breneth by their emblems," Belduine answered.  "They aren't here for us, but you're right.  I imagine there's more than one group of them, and though we probably have them to thank for not being discovered by the prison guard by now, if we run into them there might be trouble.  So let's get down the steps quickly and find somewhere to hide if we need to."

            Soldiers.  Shigure's heart beat fast.  The clanging he had heard was probably a mixture of armor and weapons, and whatever they were up to, they seemed willing to cut themselves a path.  He had wondered why he hadn't seen or heard a whisper of guardsmen.  Perhaps there was fighting elsewhere in this compound.  Terror seized his heart, wondering what he would do if he was thrown into a  fight with weapons, but he kept moving, following the other down the stairs, his hands gliding along the sweat-slick walls to either side of him.   He could hardly see anything, the blackness like cold soot and the air as cold as death.  It was like walking into a crypt and his breathing began to take on a rasp-like quality.

            Belduine led the way with Kyo and the girls just behind him.  Kyo's orange hair was a stark parallel to the firebrand burning in his hand.  It cast strange lights on walls that were slick and seemed to be tinted green the deeper they traveled.  Arisa, Saki and Kagura followed Kyo with Ayame and Shigure bringing up the rear.  Shigure had to urge to chat to ease his anxiety, but the situation called for silence unless they were heard by guardsmen or soldiers, so he kept his own council and tried to remain calm.

            The staircase was not long, but when they reached the bottom, he felt as if he were in a tomb.  The prisons in this dark place made his cell seem cheery and comfortable by comparison.  The doors here were metal but so caked with grit they might as well have been stone, tall and impassive as gravestones.  They dotted the passage only every once and awhile, spaced out and ghostly silent.  The darkness ate at Kyo's torch, suffocating the light, and everyone's eyes gleamed ghoulishly as they paced softly through the dust.  Ayame looked positively spooked.  Up ahead, Kagura had latched onto Kyo's arm, hugging him as they walked just behind Belduine.  Arisa glanced around her and hid her fear well, but there was a strain in her eyes that battled with her determination.  Only Saki seemed as impassive as ever, though what she might actually be feeling was difficult to say.

            The pathway diverged suddenly at a crossroad, winding into the distance three different ways.

            "I haven't been here before," Belduine breathed.  His eyes were bright even in this darkness, and he turned around in a slow circle before fixing his gaze on Saki Hanajima.  "EC," Belduine whispered, "do you know which way we should go? Can you sense anything?"

            "Yeah, what about Tohru?" Arisa demanded in a voice that seemed half afraid to hear that the girl could possibly be hidden in this place.  "Can you sense Tohru?"  Kyo's eyes and expression demanded the same thing.

            "The head of your family," Saki said instead, "is just down that way."  She pointed with one slim finger, raising her arm at a parallel line to the ground.  "His name is Akito, correct?  He has a very distinct electric signal, though it is very chaotic at the moment."

            Shigure felt his blood freeze.  Ayame glanced at him, his expression serious for once.  "We have to get him out," Shigure said, and felt like he had placed a boulder on his chest.  He didn't want to rescue Akito.  Or did he?  He couldn't tell.

            Arisa grimaced noticeably.  "That guy…  Hell, I say if you're going to leave Momiji, you might as well leave that jerk too. I doubt he can run or fight.  Isn't that the criteria?"  She seemed more like she was trying to convince herself.

            The air was so thick with tension and uncertainty, he felt like it was going to vibrate if someone breathed wrong.  "Well," Shigure forced himself to chuckle, and his usual joking self broke the tension like the cord of a guitar.  "Ayame can't really either." Ayame gasped indignantly and Shigure managed a grin in the darkness, his teeth flashing in the light of Kyo's torch, though shadows haunted his face.  "Nor can I, alas!  But that isn't the reason, Arisa.  Akito will doubtless be even more of a burden than you can understand, but we can't leave him here."

            "You're right," Belduine said.  "He's the god and the Esper…" He frowned, his face ruddy in the torchlight.  "Lead the way, Saki."

            She did, brushing past them and striding alone and confidently into the darkness.  If she had been wearing her cloak it would have billowed behind her majestically, but even with just a school backpack, she was impressive.  Shigure and the others followed her, keeping an eye on the braid that hung straight down her back, the patch of white skin of her neck the only bit of her that did not blend in with the atmosphere.  As they walked, Shigure thought he could hear footfalls down one of the other passages, evidence of Belduine's soldiers calling conducting their own search.

            "Here," Saki said, stopping before one of the doors and stepping aside for Belduine to kneel in front of it.

            "Akito?" Belduine called promptly, and knocked twice.  Shigure thought he heard movement, someone shifting in the dark behind the door, but there was no answer as Belduine knelt before the lock and began trying the keys.

            "Come on," Kyo said anxiously, but when the last key was tried, the door still had not opened.  

            "Try them again!" Arisa said.  "One of them has got to work!"

            Belduine shook his head soundlessly and tossed the ring to her.  "You can try it on one of the other doors if you want."  Arisa took the keys but did not move.  They all watched as Belduine withdrew a fold of leather from inside his shirt and unfolded it to reveal pockets of strange tools and appliances of wires and hooks and screws that Shigure did not have specific names for, though he knew they were lockpicks.  Laying his spear down by his boot, Belduine leaned an ear against the door and waved Kyo to kneel near him so that the torch lit up the lock on the door.  Belduine's hands were quick, drawing tools and wires and inserting them into the lock one after another, his eyes darting and shifting and he listened and jiggled and blinked steaduly.   His head and shoulders blocked exactly what he was doing, but after several long agonizing minutes, Shigure heard a soft click as the door's catch released.  Belduine replaced his lock pick tools back into the leather fold and got to his feet. Lifting his spear up from the ground, he stepped back and pulled the door open.

            "Akito," Shigure whispered softly.  "It's Shigure.  Are you all right?  Can you walk?  We need to hurry."

            The door groaned as Belduine pushed it, but it opened.  When Kyo held the torch aloft, light flooded the cell.  

            Akito sat on the ground with one hand raised to cover his eyes, his robes pulled around his shoulders and dirt smudging his face and hands and clothes.  His fingers were scraped, as if he had scuffed them along the rock walls of his prison.  He glared up at the people looking at him, slowly drawing his hand down as his eyes adjusted to the light and he was able to make out their faces.  For a moment he looked fragile, like a child who had been lost and afraid and was unexpectedly found by loved ones, and something like a smile decorated his face when he saw Shigure and Ayame leaning in over him worriedly.  But his eyes hardened when they landed on Kyo, passed over Kagura disdainfully, and narrowed with undisguised hatred when Arisa and Saki came into view.  Belduine had hid behind the door, out of the way and silent, waiting impatiently and nervously.

            Nobody spoke.

            "Well?" Akito's voice said harshly.  "So you've come back have you?" His lips twisted.

            Ayame stepped forward and Shigure did not have time to wince.  "Akito-san," Ayame exclaimed, pressing a hand over his heart.  "It is with the deepest honor that we have come to rescue you." Grandly, he entered the cell and extended his hand.  "Please, take my arm and I will support your triumphant exodus from this stifling dungeon.   Before it ruins your complexion."

            Akito's eyes widened and something like contempt curdled his face, but he reached up for Ayame's arm and stood, rising to a full height before slumping over Ayame as if he were an old man in need of a crutch.  He refused to look at the rest of them, and when they met his eyes accidentally, he glared with a visage that could crack stone.

            "This place suits me," he rasped once he was in the hall, still leaning on Ayame and glancing around at the rag-tag group with obvious distaste.

            "We can't stay here," Shigure said.  "We must go."

            "Yes," Akito said.  "Yes, we must go.  You," he pointed to Belduine with a savage, angry thrust of his finger.  "What are you doing here?"

            "Um, I'm your guide," Belduine said promptly, bobbing into view, and the way he stood made it clear that he was addressing Akito as a superior even if there was little in his countenance to suggest it.  The tone was an appeal, a touch of reverence crisping the words.  "I'm going to see that you escape, but we're going to have to do some sneaking.  Can you sneak?"

            Akito's eyes shifted scornfully away from Belduine to the others.  "Where are the others?  Where is Hatori? Where is Yuki? Where is Haru?"

            Shigure didn't know what to say.  He wondered too.  He tried to think about it.

            "We have to leave them here," Belduine said.  "There isn't time to save everybody and we can't go back.  We have to take the North exit or none at all.  There isn't much time now but we will save them later, I promise you.  When they are transferred to the Holdings at Evermore, it might prove easier.  If we can get there undetected."  Shigure closed his eyes.  He couldn't stand the thought of leaving anyone, but it made him feel a little better to hear Belduine make that promise.  He wasn't sure how far someone like Belduine could be trusted, but the kid wasn't so bad in his own way, harmless really, and what he said made sense.  Some of them had to escape if there was to be a chance for any of them.

            "Leave them here?" It was difficult to tell whether Akito was pleased or furious.  Slowly, he smiled, but his eyes glittered dangerously.  He shoved Ayame away from him and took a few steps on his own, hunched in his robe and staring at nothing.  "I suppose," he began, "that all of you expect me not to care about what happens to them.  Well then you're right, I don't care."  He smiled then as if he had said something funny.

            Belduine sweated.  "Um, okay, but we need to go.  Stealthy, remember?  You can sneak?  We'll have to run too."

            "I can't run," Akito said dismissively.

            "Well, walk fast then," Belduine altered.  "But we have to keep going." 

            "We still need to find Tohru," Kyo said adamantly.

            "We're not saving anybody else?" Arisa breathed, as if it had just struck her.  "Tohru?  Or Kureno?"  Her heart was in her eyes when she said Kureno's name.  Shigure marveled, wondering how they had met for her eyes to glisten like that, but what worried him was that Akito saw it.  Shigure swallowed, wondering what he was thinking when his god's eyes became heavy, as if he was drugged or half-asleep.  His hands curled into claws and he sneered to himself, but did nothing.  Arisa didn't see it.  Her eyes were on Belduine.

            "We can't," the thief said apologetically.  "Anyone who isn't down here…"

            "Yuki is," Akito broke in suddenly, and all traces of malice were gone, his tones as smooth as silk, eerily convincing.  "I know it.  I saw it in a dream.  He was crying in the dark, alone and abandoned.  He is down here and we will not go without him."

            There was a moment of silence in which everyone shifted uncomfortably.  Shigure wasn't sure if perhaps Akito had not made up this dream, pushing his own thoughts and experiences on other people and claiming their authenticity.  But Akito would hold to it if he believed it and they could not afford a screaming fit right now by disagreeing with him.

            Saki broke in unexpectedly.  "He's right," she said.  "Yuki's electric signal is pulsing down one of the other passageways."

            "Then let's go," Belduine said, and broke through them, trotting back in the direction they came.

            Taking a deep breath, Shigure put a hand on Akito's shoulder and urged him forward, following the others.  Akito's expression still had not changed, but he seemed content to be led, however he glared holes in the backs of those retreating before him.  Ayame stayed with them, careful not to touch Akito unless he requested it and occasionally glancing at Shigure with concern.  His old friend clearly wanted some direction and encouragement, but Shigure did not know exactly what to tell him.  

            He still could not conceive of what they were about to do, escaping into a strange world and leaving half of their numbers behind.  He couldn't stop dwelling on it.  He thought of the others, wondering if the kids Kisa and Hiro were all right, and how they would hold up being taken to the Holdings of the Esper.   What was that place like?  There was Hatori to take care of them, but Hatori was not known for cheering anyone and Shigure feared for personalities like Kisa and Momiji and Ritsu.  Dear God, but Ritsu was probably fit for a heart attack.  Haru and Rin were both capable of keeping calm under pressure, but what of Kureno, who had only been outside the Main House on rare occasions?  

            He escorted Akito after the others in silence, his thoughts churning like the spools and gears of a clock, never ceasing to count the seconds as they added up numbers.  It was against his nature to abandon his loyalties to the family, even in exchange for his own safety.  He wasn't sure he could go through with this. 

*****

            Yuki's rat left him in a spook of terror as boots crashed down the hallway outside his cell.  The animal scuttled off his hand and disappeared into the wall, squeezing through some crack Yuki couldn't even see.  Yuki got to his feet slowly, rising against the wall behind him and using his hands to feel his way toward what he thought was the door in the darkness.   Whispers rose just outside, and two thoughts struck him simultaneously so that he wasn't sure what to think: one, that the magicians had come to haul him off to the Holdings of the Esper in Evermore, and two, that he was going to be rescued.

            It turned out not to have anything to do with him at all.

            "Temien!" several voices whispered urgently in the darkness.

            Yuki touched the inside of the door, wishing that they had called _his name, that someone had come to free him, but he knew he had to make the best of whatever situation came his way, and so tightened his lips and cleared his throat.  "In the cell beside me," he called out. "I think he fell asleep."_

            Whoever was out there had obviously not expected others to be locked up down here.  They did not answer him directly, but he heard them shift over to Temien's cell.  He listened as they opened the door, not wondering whether they had stolen keys, bashed it in, or picked the lock.  The sound of the door opening was a sweet torture, one that he savored for his own time.  He knew they would be moved eventually.

            "Hey," Temien's voice came to him from the other side.  It was the voice of a freed man. "Yuki Sohma.  Do you want to come with us?"

            He thought about it.  He could escape with Temien and maybe have a shot at freeing the others.  Only, he didn't know this world, and he didn't really know Temien, and something told him to wait and be patient, though he couldn't be sure what it was.  Besides, he could not leave Tohru here.  "It's okay," he said.  "I don't think I can go alone and abandon my friends and family.  Something might yet happen."

            Temien was silent for a moment.  "All right.  I wish there was something I could do for you, but I understand your reasoning."

            Yuki lowered his head and passed a hand over his eyes, wondering if he had made the right choice.  Perhaps he was just afraid to be burdened with the responsibility of freedom while the others remained captive.  Maybe it was easier not to have them depend on him if they did manage to free himself.  He wasn't fit to be their rescuer, and if he was the only one free, he would be their only hope. 

            "The best of luck to you, Yuki Sohma," Temien told him.  "If all goes well, we may meet again in Evermore.  I will remember what you said about your girl, Tohru Honda, and do what I can to assist her."

            One of the men who had come to Temien's rescue spoke urgently.  "We must hurry, Prince."

            Yuki raised his head and was about to reply when he realized that whoever had spoken could not possibly have been talking to him.  He heard Temien respond, though he did not catch what was said, and in a moment they were gone, vanishing in a flurry of footsteps pounding lightly on stone.

            Yuki backed away from the door, pondering what was said, straining his ears in the darkness now that he was even more alone.  Was that a real prince he had met? A strange destiny.  His rat friend reemerged a moment later, squeaking as it poked its nose out of its hole cautiously and then skittered along the floor to stand by Yuki's left shoe.  Yuki pushed his hair out of his eyes and felt the cut on his face again, wondering if it was going to get infected without care.  It throbbed dully, a pain that was a welcome distraction in the loneliness that grew as all sound faded away.  

            It was awhile later, waiting in the darkness and dreaming of his doom in Evermore, that Yuki heard something else moving outside his door.   He couldn't believe it. Nothing had happened for so long, and now everything had to happen at once.  He had been looking to time spent alone in the dark, indefinitely, and already new voices were penetrating the thick curtains of his loneliness.   It could not have been that long since Temien had vanished.  At first he feared it was the magicians come to take him to the Holdings in Evermore, but comforted himself with the thought that at least he might be reunited with Tohru and his family.  But listening, he slowly realized that he recognized these voices.  Hope flared in his breast, and with it a strength he didn't realize he had.  "Hello?" he shouted, and pounded on the inside of his door with the flat of his hand. 

            "Whoa, hang on, you're jolting the lock.  Stand back a bit."

            Belduine.  

            Amazed, Yuki stood back, his shoes scuffing the dirt.  The little rat at his feet let out a squeak and vanished again, disappearing back into its hole.  Yuki hardly gave it a second thought.  Of all things unlooked for, he was being rescued.

            The door swung open and faces he recognized greeted him in a half-blinding torchlight.  He squinted into the flames rising from the torch Kyo held aloft in one hand and hastily turned his face aside so he could withstand the glare.  He heard those standing before for him gasp and knew he had revealed his wounded cheek.  He wondered how bad it looked after sleeping in the dirt.

            He turned back again, smiling gratefully, and stepped out of his cell.

            "Yuki!" Ayame exclaimed.  He couldn't have done anything to stop his brother from throwing his arms around him in a hug surely meant to squeeze all the air of his lungs.  He coughed and leaned weakly against Ayame's chest, shaking from sudden hunger and fear and thirst, all of which assaulted him the moment hope came that he might live and be free again.  "Let me see your face," Ayame commanded and Yuki felt his head being lifted and examined by his brother's uncritical eye.  "I wish Hatori was here.  I haven't the slightest idea what to do about this.  I'm sure it will be devilishly handsome with the right attire, though."

            "Stop fussing over me," Yuki said, jerking his head back and stepping out of his brother's intrusive embrace.  He looked around at all the faces assembled.  "I'm fine.  Really.  Thank you.  What of the others?"

            "We have to leave them," Kagura said. Yuki stared, aghast, and turned to Shigure for confirmation.  The dog's face looked troubled and he refused to meet Yuki in the eye.

            "We still need to find Tohru," Kyo said stubbornly.  Arisa emphatically agreed.

            "No," Akito said with a menacing bite.  "We can leave her here.  She isn't any use!"

            Kyo looked like he had been punched, averting his eyes.  Yuki's gaze swung around, his mouth working silently. 

            "This prison is extensive," Belduine said.  "If she's on the way out, we'll rescue her.  But we're out of time. Akito's right, though I don't feel good about leaving her here either." He looked almost as troubled as Shigure, his hands caressing the wooden shaft of what looked to be a spear in agitation.

            Kyo knuckles turned white on the handle of the torch, his eyes flaring under his red hair.  Kagura bit her lip.  Arisa looked like she wanted to hit something.

            "Wait," Saki interjected calmly, holding up a hand, and everyone turned to her.  "I sense her somewhere close by.  Not down this path, but I feel her somewhere close, back the way we came."

            "Perhaps in the third corridor then," Belduine muttered.  "Well, let's try it, but then we have to get the hell out of here."

            Akito gave Saki a withering look, which, if she noticed, she ignored.

            Kyo passed his torch off to Kagura and bolted ahead, not waiting for the group.  Yuki pushed Ayame aside to chase after him, not to catch him, but because he wanted to find Tohru just as desperately.  With the others trailing behind on their heels, they raced down the corridor side by side and step for step.  Shigure shouted after them to slow down and stick with the group, but neither of them had ears for it.  Time was of the essence and it was ticking against Tohru.  They couldn't leave her here!

            "Which corridor haven't you tried yet?" Yuki gasped as they came to a stop at the crossroads.

            "I dunno," Kyo said, "I can't remember."

            Yuki felt a flash of irritation, but it cooled instantly.  They panted in silence, waiting for the other to catch up.  Finally, Kyo took a few steps near one of the corridors, putting his hands to his mouth to make a funnel. "Tohru!  Tohru, are you down here?"

            "Miss Honda!" Yuki called out. He wished he could use her name the way Kyo did, but it had just never felt right somehow. He couldn't bring himself to do it. Kyo's eyes looked panicked when there was no answer, and as they waited, the others caught up, Arisa running after them at the front.  She shouted Tohru's name too and they all listened to it echo off the walls.

            "Quiet!  You'll bring the guards down on us!" Belduine said in a panic.  "I said we'll try the third corridor, even though we do not have the time!  It's all I can do."

            "I don't care if we're caught if it means leaving her here!" Kyo shouted.  Yuki said nothing, but the sentiment in his heart echoed Kyo's cry even if he would have refrained from shouting it.

            "The stairs," Saki said suddenly.  She pushed between Yuki and Kyo and began climbing them before anyone could protest.

            "Hana!" Arisa shouted after her.  "What about Tohru? Are you going to leave her here?  Hana!"

            Saki didn't turn around but kept climbing, racing up faster than Yuki thought a girl like her could run.  The others waited at the bottom, torn in derision, Belduine seeming almost panicked by the delay caused by their indecision.  

            And then they heard it, a small voice calling out from above, at what sounded like the very top of the stairs, drifting down to them from on high.  "Yuki?  Kyo?"

            Yuki didn't think about how it was possible. He fought for space with Kyo as he launched himself up the winding steps, breathing deeply of the dank air, straining his eyes for the sight that would warm his heart.  He heard the others coming up behind them, panting and muttering under their breath, and it occurred to him that Akito was watching.  He hoped that Tohru would not pay for his zealousness on her behalf later, that rescuing the girl from prison would not offend Akito's delicate psyche, but he couldn't stop himself.

            At the top of the stairs, clasped in Saki Hanajima's embrace, was the collapsed form of Tohru Honda, crying with her face pressed into her friend's shoulder while Saki smoothed her hair and rocked her as she might a baby.  Yuki and Kyo stopped side by side, staring in utter disbelief at the sight they beheld.

            A man Yuki had never seen before stood just outside inside the entrance to the stairwell, both hands resting on the hilt of an inverted sword, the blade pushing into the ground.  He was armored from head to toe, a blue cloak slung over his shoulders, half-obscuring a breastplate decorated with scrolls and signs.  Yuki slowed to a stop, staring at this stranger with disbelief.

            "My Lord Temien sends greetings," the man said.  "Which of you is Yuki Sohma?"

            "I am," Yuki said.  He was startled, but even as he tried to process consciously what had happened, he understood.

            The man stared at him for a moment in silence, sizing him up in face and form.  Slowly, his lips curved into a smile.  "My name is Ranok.  His Highness's orders were to deliver the girl called Tohru Honda safely to Yuki Sohma if she might be found.  We studied the prison grounds well ere we came.  I expect I can trust you to take care of her?"

            "Yes," he said.  "Thank you."

            Belduine pushed suddenly through to the front.  "Glory to Breneth and Lord Temien," he said with a bright grin and a hasty bow.  "What is the best way out of Cabadan?"

            "There's rioting in the streets," the man replied, eyeing Belduine with an amused smile.  "Our raiding party has taken the East exit in order to rescue our Lord but we won't hold them long.  The upper levels of the prison are crawling with magicians.  Lord Temien will be making their retreat even now, while the town is still in chaos.  However, the North gate is just down the right passage and up the stairs.  If there is still any guard at all, it is a light one.  The lot of you should be able to overwhelm it.  Take to the foothills and our affairs will cover your crossing."

            "Many thanks," Belduine said, and ducked past him into the hallway. 

            "Yuki," Tohru cried, and suddenly he found her head buried in his arm, tears leaking from her eyes.  He wanted to hold her, but he couldn't, and it wounded him.  "He said you were here!  I…" 

            Kyo's face looked broken as Tohru clung to Yuki's arm, quiet envy of Yuki as clear on his face as the longing for Tohru that was in his eyes.  Yuki touched Tohru's hair, his most important concern, smoothing it the way Saki had done, and tried to say something reassuring.  Tohru hiccupped when he spoke, as if realizing that what was happening was real, and rubbed her eyes, wiping away her tears.   She then turned to Kyo and took his hand, holding it tightly in her own.  Kyo's mouth parted but neither of them spoke.  

            "Come _on!" Belduine shouted.  Everyone jumped._

            Sharing a glance, Yuki and Kyo mutually hustled Tohru out of the corridor.  The others followed on the heels of the three of them.  Yuki nodded again to the soldier as he passed, wondering at the strange occurrences that had aided them tonight.  Why hadn't he asked for all his family members to be rescued?  Why had he been so selfish as to specify Tohru?  His heart went out to Haru and Rin, Momiji and Hatori, Kisa and Hiro, Kureno and Ritsu: all those who had been left behind.  But then, it might not have been possible for this one rearguard of Temien's to have found everybody, and if he were to choose one person to rescue from a dungeon, it would have been Tohru.  Perhaps she had just been nearby.  He was glad that she was close to him again, glad that he was taking her out of this place.  He just wished he knew what lay beyond it.

            The party made a break for it down the other corridor that led to the North exit, coming almost immediately to a stairwell that led straight up.  They climbed laboriously, but Yuki felt wind on his face, fresh air from a world outside, though it might be a strange world, and it gave him strength to run faster and harder.  Tohru's feet stumbled on the stairs, but she kept up, and so do Saki and Uo and even Akito with the help of Shigure and Ayame, though they were last.  Kagura was right up in front near Belduine, charging forward with an expression that should worry anyone who happened to be in her way.

            When they reached the landing, it was like stepping out of an airport into a cool evening in some far away place.  The stairs ended in a small room with only three walls. The fourth wall was open, facing a field that stretched into a countryside that rose into hills spotted with woods.  Strange stars glittered in the sky above the land, twinkling with a familiarity that was still unfamiliar as he recognized none of the shapes they made.  

            Between them and the open air was a single guard, but he was armed.  He had been sitting in a chair by the open wall, looking outside at some sort of commotion that must be taking place in the town near the prisons, presumably the riots the soldier who had delivered Tohru had mentioned.   The guard at the door wore a strange crest on his breast, something like a star that was made out of crystal, a badge that clasped a scarlet cloak around the front of his body.  He held a spear in his hand, and opened his mouth when he saw them emerge, lowering the blade toward them.

            Yuki grasped Tohru and meant to shove her safely out of the way, not sure how they were all going to get past a man with a wicked, long range weapon aimed to kill, but before he could move or speak or say anything, Belduine ducked under his arm and twisted, the short-hafted spear in his hand spinning expertly.  Yuki stopped moving, all sound going dim in his ears as the blade of that spear sliced through the neck of the guard.  He turned to Tohru only to see Kyo gaping, one hand clasped over Tohru's eyes.  She grabbed at his hand, crying words Yuki couldn't hear in his sudden deafness.  Belduine's face did not change as he backed out of his victim's range, flipping his weapon into a position preparing for a second attack.  But there was no need.  The scarlet-cloaked guard choked, blood running in rivulets down his severed throat and out of his mouth as he tried to breathe.  He staggered and collapsed, his staring, sightless eyes glazing over like glass as he hit the ground, blood continuing to pool out from underneath him.

            "Oh, my god."

            Arisa was the only one who could speak, and her words were thick in her throat as she grasped her own neck in shock.  Maybe she had seen some things during her gang years, but it was clear that she had never seen this.  Yuki felt cold inside, his heart ceasing to beat and yet drumming loudly in his ears.  Murder.

            Belduine shook his spear and wiped blood out of his eyes.  It smeared on his sleeve but he only blinked.  "Come on," he said.  He seemed unaffected, though his breathing was heavy.  "Come _on." _

            Kyo ushered a protesting Tohru passed the scene, his hand still over her eyes, shielding her from the sight of the dead man on the ground.  She kept saying his name over and over again "Kyo? Kyo! Kyo?" demanding to know what had happened, that she should be able to see, but Kyo's face was grim and he would not let her look.

            "Hurry!" Belduine shouted at the rest of them, and they bolted passed both him and the guard he had killed in fear.  "Make for the hills," Belduine called after them.  "Don't look back.  We were lucky Prince Temien was here.  The whole place is in an uproar.  Just run."

            But Shigure didn't.  

            Yuki stopped when he realized that not everyone had agreed, letting Kyo carry a stumbling, blind Tohru out of danger. Arisa and Saki went after her, but Kagura, Ayame and Akito paused, staring back at Shigure.

            "I can't," the dog said.  His eyes were glued to the dead body on the ground, but that didn't seem to be what was holding him back.  "I can't leave them in a place like this."

            "Shigure!" Akito shouted.

            "Take him!" Belduine yelled at Ayame and Kagura.  Ayame grabbed Akito gently by the arm, whispering something Yuki couldn't hear.  His response was a snarl, but Akito turned to go.  Yuki could not look away from the man dead at Belduine's feet.  Belduine was looking at Shigure, standing over a man he had killed, that impish, incompetent thief that Yuki had just thought harmless only minutes ago standing in a pool of blood he had spilled without warning or hesitation.  "Are you sure?"

            Shigure nodded, looking pale.

            "Okay.  We'll see you in Evermore.  Don't lose hope."

            The boy turned, brandishing his spear, and shoved Yuki hard in the shoulder. "Run."

            "You killed a man," Yuki breathed in a hollow voice.

            "Run!"

            Wrenching his eyes away, Yuki ran.

To Be Continued…

(If you want it to be, reviews are very inspiring!)

A/N:

Okay!  Before anybody panics, let me explain that the scenes of this story are going to shift between those who escaped and those who are going to the Holdings in Evermore.  So if your favorite character got left behind, don't worry about; they will still be a significant part in the story!  The Holdings are not structured like the prisons in Cabadan. More will be going on there, but that's all I'm going to say about it for the moment.  

And now I will spend a page thanking everyone again!  Because I desperately need responses to keep writing this story and the reader pool for Fruits Basket is much smaller than for Gundam Wing.  If you're reading, please take a moment to review!

**Grrl**** N:  Well, Tohru and the girls are safe, but others are going to the Holdings.  And yes! There just might be some comedy with Ritsu, but you will have to keep reading to see!  I'm glad the last chapter was easy on the eyes.  This one was more actiony, so maybe it was more difficult, but tell me what you're thinking!**

**Calendar:**  Lol.  Well, Tohru is safe from being a handmaiden for the time being, but that doesn't mean there aren't other things to panic about!  Ha ha.  Ooh, it's really hard not to give stuff away.  Hope you are still reading!  Please tell me your thoughts.  ^_^

**Mizaya****:  I stayed up all night and slept all day again.  Lol.  Sorry about Haru!  I know he is your favorite, but I promise you will see more of him.  And yes, Tohru is quite innocent, and yes, there will be more Kyoru moments.  Heh heh.**

**Niana**** Kuonji:  *squeals*  Actually, I almost had Belduine say that exact line from the Last Unicorn because I like it so much, but I was afraid it would be too much like copying, even though the characters and circumstances are different.  Actually, Azaren quotes a line from the Last Unicorn too.  Can you spot it?  Lol.   Anyway, Yuki is safe for the time being.  As for the quotes, they aren't my property! They are real proverbs, from different languages and cultures, which was the idea.**

**SAL-chan:**  You crack me up; I love it.  Glad you liked poor little caged Kyo and smoking Hatori.  Sadly, Hatori was not rescued, but he will still be in the story!  As for characters dying… you will have to wait and see. ^_^

**Merryday****:  Well, usually my angst is emotional, but I have been known to maim, wound, rape and otherwise kill main characters in my own stories, both mine and those of the fandom.  Sorta.  But don't worry.  This time, danger of that sort is minimal.  Or so Belduine thinks.  Property of the Esper and all that.  ^_~  Still… you will have to wait and see…**

** Sarlinia:**  Yay!  So glad you are still reading b/c I enjoy your reviews.  Thank you for reviewing both chapters! I hope you are still enjoying the story and that it will seem progressively more real to you.  It's actually really hard to get into it because it's kind of a cross-over (very 'kinda') or AUish so that makes it difficult.  But as long as I get feedback on it, I will try harder and harder.  As for Momiji, I'll let him explain it sometime, but it's not that mysterious.  He got hit hardest because he was the first.  

**Tri:**  I love it when you review!   Sorry for the delay this time.  I was busy with finals and holiday stuff.  I love your reviews because they respond thoroughly to the past chapter and also take stabs at what I haven't said (or haven't said yet).  Lol.  I really enjoy reading your thoughts.  I don't want to give anything away, so I'm going to shut up now, but please keep up the stellar feedback!

**Absent one:**  Wow! *is so excited*  Thank you so much for your feedback!  I'm sensing that you are a Kyo fan? Me too, but I always like Yuki. It makes it hard to shift between them.  Anyway, they're rescued, but the suspense has just begun.  Please keep reading and reviewing if you enjoy the story!  ^_^

**Nonsequitur**: Yay! Welcome back!  That last chapter was a bit of a cool down after a storm.  I've stepped it up again with this one.  I hope you enjoyed it. Please tell me what you think! ^_^

**T-c3:**  Glad to hear from you again!  I'm so happy you have chosen to review.  It really helps get me excited about the story!   Yes, it would be a pain to go into EVERY character's head last chapter, so I just hit a couple.  Thank you so much for the feedback.  What did you think of this newest chapter?

**Kyra**** Rivers:  I always wait in breathless anticipation for your reviews.  And I love the babbling, lol.  You are reading Wheel of Time?!?!  I've been reading it since 6th grade! Welcome to the addiction.  It gets good after the first book and it's always exciting to talk to new fans. It makes me laugh that you like Perrin so much.  I like him too, but it just makes me laugh.  As for Belduine, yes, everyone should question his motives because he's not the natural angel Tohru is!  He's a fun personality though.  I hope I convey him well in the writing.  And yes, I love Yuki, though things have taken a dramatic twist for him in the actual Fruits Basket series (the manga).  If you're not keeping up, you should!   As for putting Kyo in a swinging cage… I dunno, I just imagined it and wrote it as I saw it.  I mean, why not?   As for Hatori, Mizaya suggested it as a segue into what Ranlath was doing, and also because he is the only character whose head you get into that ISN'T rescued.  It kinda shows you that those people are all right.  Okay, I'm going to stop blithering now and let you review!**

**Emmi****-Chan: Wow! That's quite a compliment.  I hope it is still true.  It makes me exceedingly happy; like all of this work is worth it.  The more readers I get, the happier I am and the more motivated I am to write.  Thank you!  **

**Melinda:  **Well, I guess we can be on a first name basis then!  I hope you are feeling better.  Your analysis of Akito is gratifying.  I'm glad that came through.  And good guess on Kagura, because you nailed it!  Yes, there are a lot of characters and sometimes I get lost keeping track of them all, but it's good practice.  ^_^.  As for Temien, he won't be traveling with them, but yes, lots of characters!   There will be more…  And I bought that magazine!  ^_~

**Miaka**** Mouse:  I demand that you review!  *glares*  Okay okay, I won't be pushy, but I respect your opinions and I've known you a long time so if you're going to read anyway…. Then please?  *eyes wobble anime style*.  Lol.  Thanks for your review!  I really appreciate it and I'm glad you are enjoying the story.   As for Ranlath… *snicker*.   Remind me to tell you later! **

**Mirtle**: *gasp* And I adore you for reading!  I am so happy to have a new reviewer, and right before a post too!  Does this mean my story is not forgotten?  Thank you very much for the feedback.  I am glad you are liking the story and I hope you review this chapter too.  I'm tickled that you read Way of Love also, because *psst* I really think the actual Fruits Basket story will work out something like it.  *winks and then ducks to avoid yukiru flamers* As for Evermore, it could be different, but keep your kyoru hopes alive!  ^_^


	14. Fairy Lights

It's been awhile.   I know. I know. I'm really horrible!  I've been busy in school and with my social life. And you can blame Mizaya for the THIRD fic that I've been using my spare time to write in my spare time.  *hugs mizaya.* But at any rate, this story is not forgotten and this author humbly begs the forgiveness of readers as she returns to it.  T_T  Please forgive me!

Evermore

Chapter 14

By Zapenstap

Tohru stumbled as she ran, her short legs carrying her at an awkward lope at Kyo's side, blinded by the hand he kept clasped over her eyes.  A brush of cool air against her cheeks and the scent of growing grass under her feet told her that she was outside.   With Kyo's hand over her eyes, she ought to have been afraid of running into something, of tripping and falling and hurting herself, but she wasn't thinking of anything like that.   Kyo was with her and she felt safer blind with him than she had alone in a prison cell when her senses had worked too well.  More than anything, she knew she just had to keep running, to flee with all her strength until she collapsed far away from where she had been.

It had been horrible locked up in a cell.  Every once and awhile she had heard voices speaking a language she could not understand, guards passing by her prison with the clank of armor and the jingle of steel weapons.  She had never been so scared or felt so powerless in all her life.  For a long time she had simply laid on the floor with her cheeks in the dirt, clutching her backpack and crying quietly as she thought of her friends and all the Sohmas trapped in a place like this.  She had told herself to be brave and tried not to let her imagination run away with her, but it was difficult. 

And then the door had opened.  

The magician—if that's what he was—seemed youthful, younger than Azaren, at least, but there was something about him that was different.  Perhaps she had just been desperate to be freed, but he seemed like an angel to her, or at least before he spoke.  He shared with the Sohmas a physical beauty that had to do with symmetrical features more than any particularly stunning trait, and at first she had thought he had come to help her.  But her illusions that he was some messenger from above soon vanished.  He told her to stand in a voice that commanded obedience and she stood, though her knees shook.  He asked her to speak and she responded promptly, stuttering her answers.  When she tried to introduce herself, he told her to be silent unless spoken to.  His ill-tempered disposition made her behave at her most clumsy as she tried to please him, but the direct commands he issued left no room for acknowledging each other as human being or equal in any other way.  By the time he left she felt small and weak, like a discarded object.  

After he was gone, she realized that whatever he had done (for a minute in his presence she had felt strangely woozy) allowed her to understand the conversation of the guards that passed her prison every now and then.  For awhile she just listened to their calls and conversation, trying to make sense of the strange new place she was in, hoping to hear something about the Sohmas… her friends…anything…

She fell asleep and awoke to the sounds of fighting.  It had terrified her, the screaming and the stomping and the sickening sounds of what her horrified mind imagined to be the sound of bodies breaking and bleeding just behind the wall.  She had never heard anything like it.  If it was anyone she knew coming to rescue her…  She couldn't bear the thought, and hated herself for wishing to see them.  Huddled on her knees, she had plugged her ears and tried not to hear anything.  And then the sounds of fighting stopped and her prison door flung open to let the ruddy torchlight shine through, but it was not anyone she knew.  

Men garbed in armor and bright blue cloaks opened her cell door and told her that they would take her to Prince Yuki if she would give her name.  Amazed, she did, and when they heard her say "Tohru Honda" in a quivering, bewildered voice, they bowed to her, called her a princess and offered themselves as an escort.  Confused but hopeful, she allowed herself to be helped to her feet and led deeper underground, shielded from the carnage of whatever battle had taken place by the bodies of the men who guarded her, until she found herself looking down into a cave of utter darkness.  Only one man—Ranok—was left to escort her down the stairs.  But she resisted, for though Ranok's face was kindly, she found herself wondering suddenly if it wasn't some trick and berating herself for not thinking about that sooner.  But then she heard voices calling her name, voices she recognized, and somehow found herself in Hana's arms, and Yuki and Kyo were there, and Uo and Shigure, Kagura, Ayame and… Akito.   

She hadn't seen Belduine at first.  With Kyo and Yuki on either side of her and the other Sohmas racing up the stairs toward her from a dark pit, she had been deaf and dumb to anything else until Kyo pulled her by the arm to get her moving.  She hadn't seen Belduine until she saw the guard at the door and watched as the small boy darted past Yuki's slender body brandishing a shaft of wood topped with a wicked steal blade.  Behind her, Kyo's body stiffened and his hand clapped suddenly over the upper half of her face.  But somehow she knew what had happened, and when she realized it, she didn't protest as Kyo bore her out of the prison and across a field of grass and soft earth.

Her lungs were burning when Kyo finally stopped running.  She could scarcely breathe.  Her chest was all on fire.  She slumped to the ground right where Kyo allowed her to stop, sinking dizzily to the earth.  Her heart was pounding much too fast, beating erratically in her chest and ears.

"Keep moving," Kyo said in a weakened, straining voice that lacked the sharp rebuke he might otherwise have intended.  She felt his hand grab her wrist and hull her to her feat, strangely gentle.  "Your heart might stop or something if you just sit down.  Walk a little."

She walked, stumbling along beside him in a daze, staring at the ground beneath her feet as grass gave way to dirt and undergrowth.  Leaning wearily against Kyo's arm, feeling drained of energy, she only slowly became aware that they had entered a forest.  Trees rose up on all side of them, the spreading foliage reaching into the sky to blot out patches of strange stars.  Looking behind her, Tohru saw the field that they had fled across, five hundred meters in length, a long way for her to dash at the speed they did without a warm-up, water or food.  Her lungs burned and her muscles ached.  

Far on the other side of the field, a heavy, blockish building ate away part of the horizon.  It was the upper level of the prison they had escaped from, and beyond it lights twinkled in the windows and houses of a nearby town.  Nothing looked so welcoming to Tohru as those soft yellow lights and the thought that there must be families sitting down to dinner at this time, even in a strange world such as this, but she knew they could not go back that way.  There were other lights too, ruddy flames thrown into the sky from fires set near the prison and perhaps even in the town.  Distantly, shouts could still be heard, and the ringing of steel as whatever skirmish had taken place outside her cell earlier spilled into the streets.  Or maybe it had started outside and worked its way in.  Tohru didn't know.  This was a strange place, foreign even as aspects of it were familiar. There were stars for example, but they were different stars.  She looked at the familiar things anyway, at the stars and the grass and the trees around her, things she recognized.  The only place to run was into the wilderness.

Other figures on the field caught Tohru's attention as she and Kyo slowed to a stop and turned to look back, their throats and lungs burning from breathing the cold night air too rapidly, but their heartbeats calmer.  It was a relief when she was able to make out the features of Uo and Hana, each supporting the other.  Tohru tried to imagine Saki Hanajima or Arisa Uotani running across an open plain in fear of danger but couldn't do it.  She wondered if they got started early and walked.  When they entered the forest, ducking under the branches of the first trees, Tohru walked back a few paces to meet them, emotions welling up from somewhere deep inside, her body trembling from so many causes, she could not clearly identify them.  Her two dearest friends smiled, each more anxious over her than she was over them.  Tohru fought to keep her tears from flooding out of her eyes as Arisa touched her hair and then pulled her into a rough embrace. 

"Oh, Tohru, we were so worried about you," her blonde friend murmured with an assured, confident smile that made Tohru feel suddenly like everything was going to be okay.

"Yes," Saki intoned with her hands clasped in front of her legs.  "We were very worried."

Behind Arisa and Saki came Kagura, walking into the forest with a wondering expression on her face as she stared up and around at the trees and strange stars.  She gravitated toward Kyo, her cheeks flushed with exertion, but looked back before she had neared her mark.

They all waited just inside the cover of the trees for everyone to catch up.  Kyo stood a little ahead of the group, where he and Tohru had stopped, not meeting anyone's eye, especially when Ayame finally escorted Akito into the circle.  Akito ignored Kyo, ignored them all, even shrugging Ayame off as soon as they were beneath the cover of the trees.  And yet, his hunched presence somehow managed to draw all eyes, demanding attention as he stood dejected and alone in the center of the circle.   Tohru opened her mouth to say something, having no idea what, except that she wanted to ease the Juunishi God somehow because she knew he must be feeling wretched, but he noticed her lips trembling open, and one sharp look silenced her.  The hate in his eyes took her aback; it was hate of her pity, or perhaps just of her.  After a moment he slumped in on himself, pulling his robes around his shoulders.  He reached for Ayame, clawing at his sleeve, and began immediately to complain of cold and hunger and thirst and many other things that dissatisfied him, demanding things that he had to know none of them could do anything about.  

Tohru was thirsty too.  She was also hungry and cold and tired, but predominantly thirsty, and not just from the run.  She felt withered inside, and light-headed, like a flower wilting in a pot from neglect.  The others looked uncomfortably away and licked their lips when Akito requested water, but nobody said anything or offered any solutions.  Only Kyo looked around the wilderness with anything close to familiarity, eyes gazing into the distance where the forest marched up into the foothills and into the unknown. 

"Maybe we'll find a stream," Kagura said in a low tone, following Kyo's gaze. 

Yuki arrived as Kagura spoke, looking pale even with a face flushed from the exertion of running.  Tohru's breath caught at the sight of him, happy tears threatening at her eyes.  Despite his habitual countenance, his expression seemed as dazed and shocked as the rest of them, his eyes slightly glassy as he looked around, but even with that, he was beautiful, silvery hair and pale skin giving off a faint gleam in the moonlight, his form and posture trim and smooth and elegant.  Tohru opened her mouth to say something, but was distracted when Belduine ducked in under the trees, his spear still in hand, clean and sharp despite what Tohru instinctively knew it had been used for.  

All conversation that might have followed Yuki's arrival ceased.  There was a silence even heavier than the one that had followed Akito's arrival, a change in the way they regarded Belduine, not judgmental or afraid, but different from the way they had seen him before.  He didn't look like either a child or a spy anymore, but something altogether unidentifiable; he was someone who stole unconsciously, had broken out of prison twice in less than a day, had killed a stranger in the same easy way he talked to strangers without fear, and seemed unaware of any transgression. If he was aware of the change in attitude toward him, he made no sign of it.  Only Hana seemed unsurprised, her expression carefully blank as always.

"Everybody here?" Belduine asked in a voice that was unaffected and undaunted by anything that had happened.  He seemed nervous, but it was more like the sort of alertness that came to animal that knew it was being hunted.  By the way he kept looking around them at the trees and the hills and the paths that led into the wilderness, his thought were on the future; it was like he had already forgotten about the past.  "We can't stop yet.  I want to get as far away from here as possible.  Prince Temien's people are withdrawing and once they get organized they might send search parties looking for us.  If they can't find us quickly, they'll probably think we've taken the road, or gone with Prince Temien himself."

"You killed someone," Kagura breathed.

"Yeah, I know," Belduine said.

"Where's Shigure?" Kyo asked.

Belduine's tone remained casual.  "He's not coming.  Tohru, do you still have those riceballs in your bag?"

Tohru jumped, having forgotten that she was even wearing her backpack.  "Huh? Oh!" she said, and swung her bag off her shoulder in a daze.  She had hugged the thing to her when she was alone in her cell, too upset and scared to attempt eating then, but now that she was out in the forest with everyone—all of them ravenous!—she had forgotten all about it!  Well, she was glad that all the food she had packed was still there, at least. Her mind tried to focus on feeding everyone, trying not to think of anything else.

"What do you mean he's not coming?" Kyo's voice rang in her ears. "What happened to him?"

There weren't that many riceballs all together, perhaps just enough for everyone to have two.  If she had known they would be traveling into the wilderness, she would have packed more!  Momentary panic settled on her at the thought.  Should she have thought of that?!?!

"He wanted to stay with the others," Belduine said.  "It's probably better.  He can assure them what happened to the rest of us."

"If he survives!" Kyo shouted angrily.  "If _any_ of them survive!"

Tohru's hands shook as she tried to open the zipper on her bag.  For some reason, she couldn't see very well. Perhaps thirst was making her dizzy.

"Shut up, you stupid cat."

Kyo's strangled response was the result of Arisa's interference, though Tohru did not look up to see what her friend did.  All she heard was Uo's threatening voice saying very coolly, "have a little faith, Orange-Top, or I'll…"

Kneeling in the dirt, her hands clutching her backback, Tohru tried to orientate herself to a task.

"Miss Honda?" 

Face reddening, she looked up blankly as Yuki knelt by her side, smiling reassuringly.  "I…I'm fine.  Is anyone hungry?"  Slowly, her heart stopped fluttering.  It wasn't her fault.  Of course not. How silly.  Kneeling on the ground beside Yuki, Tohru opened her bag and gathered the onigiri in her arms, apologizing for the way the riceballs had been squashed since she had packed them.  Wrapped in plastic, they had been kept fresh enough and would tide them over for a few hours, but it wasn't a full meal and she fretted that everyone would still be hungry.  But at least it was better than nothing, and everyone seemed grateful as Yuki helped her pass them around.

"Why didn't they take our backpacks away?" Arisa mused aloud as she tossed a riceball to Hana.

"Policy is that no one that belongs to the Esper is to be despoiled until he or she is safely in the Holdings," Belduine explained.  He was standing on a ledge at the top of the trail, peering into the darkness.  "Sometimes the Esper is interested in the objects her collections bring with them.  Sometimes they carry things that are of value to her.  Cursed objects.  Magic charms.  Like Kyo's bracelet."

Kyo blanched, one hand going to his wrist.  Everyone but Tohru glanced away, trying not to look at him, staring uncomfortably or pointedly at anything else.  Tohru watched Kyo worriedly as he closed his eyes and sucked in a deep breath of cool night air.  When he opened them, his eyes caught hers and his cheeks reddened.  Looking away, from her and everyone else, he stared into the forest as if he'd rather be other alone among the trees than with any of them.  Tohru bit her lip.  But he seemed all right… at least for now.

"Come on," Belduine said, ignoring the silence as he began walking past them.  Yuki helped Tohru rise slowly to her feet, open backpack still in hand.  

"But…" she protested.  "Not everyone has finished." Akito had just taken another one of Tohru's riceballs from Ayame, face expressionless and eyes glittering hatefully.

"You can eat as you walk," Belduine said.  "We have to keep moving."

"I think we should have a full explanation," Yuki suggested.  "You need to tell us where we are and what we're up against."

"Okay," Belduine said.  "But not now.  We're too close.  Walk."

Yuki subsided into a stony science.  Akito was glaring at Belduine balefully.

As they walked, Tohru passed the rest of her provisions around to the Sohmas and her friends.  Beludine had darted ahead of the group, but they knew they were following him by the sounds of his spear thwacking against the bushes and tree trunks, blazing a trail out of the undergrowth even Ayame could follow.   They ate in silence, too ravenous and tired to engage in conversation.  Tohru's nerves were still on end, her body shaking as she tried to walk uphill and eat at the same time, and all too soon the riceballs were gone and so was the distraction that came from the pleasure of eating them.  Tohru was once again reminded how thirsty and tired she was.  She fought for energy as she forced herself to follow the others uphill and into a forest that closed in thicker and darker around them.

No one said anything.  Even Akito stopped complaining, all of them trying to conserve breath, to not think about those they had left behind. Tohru reminded herself that at least she was free, and so were Hana and Uo, Yuki and Kyo, Ayame and Akito and Kagura….  Rather than all of them being locked in a cell, some of them were walking through a dry forest.  It was dense in places, but for the majority, the trees were tall and straight and the pathways negotiable.  They would not die here, or be trapped forever.  Not all was lost.  They would make it through this…this horrible dark dream. 

A twig snagged in her hair and she yelped, twisting around to withdraw the stick from her braid.  

"Tohru, you okay?" Arisa asked her, and she held still as her friend untangled the tree from Tohru's head.  "Watch where you're going," she said with Uo's gruff fondness.  "Sometimes you make me worry."

"Yeah, um, I guess I wasn't paying attention." Tohru's eyes drank in the night, her ears picking up the familiar sounds of chirping crickets and the rustle of leaves made by small animals and their own movements.  For the first time, she really looked at the scenery around her, felt the wind against her skin, the bark and hard earth under her shoes.  This place, wherever it was, was real.  This forest was not a tunnel that would lead her home once she got through the darkness, but a forest, and for all she knew it went on forever.

"Tohru?"  Arisa asked her.  "Are you sure you're okay?"

Tohru nodded dumbly.

They lost sight of Belduine, though they were able to follow the path he made for them.  Tired and thirsty as she was, climbing uphill was difficult, especially when the undergrowth became less manageable and the hills grew steeper.  Akito had to be half supported.  Tohru didn't know if he really needed help or simply pretended he did, but his flailing forced either Ayame or Yuki or both to walk beside him at all times.  Kagura walked in the lead with a somber Kyo, but she kept casting glances back at the others, her gray eyes soft with worry.  All of the Juunishi were strangely quiet.  

As time drew on, Tohru began to feel increasingly dizzy, not sure how far she had walked or how long they were going to.  Cabadan seemed so far away and down below, and she felt so lost, that she could scarcely conceive of any immediate danger anymore, not of being followed anyway. Tohru tried her best not to think about other concerns, but she couldn't help wondering what they were going to do now, and where Belduine was leading them. Lifting her eyes from the ground, she saw the others climbing a steep slope to the top of a ridge where there was a gap in the trees. The silhouette of Kyo's head and shoulders was outlined by a starry sky, the top of Kagura's head just barely visible beside him.  Both of them had stopped walking.  Tohru dug her toes into the soft earth, hands scrambling sometimes for something to hold on to as she made her way after Arisa and Saki.  Somehow Saki made it look easy.  For herself, Tohru wasn't sure she had ever been this emotionally and physically tired in all her life.

Belduine had stopped to wait for them at the top of the rise, standing on a fallen log with his back to her as he stared out at something Tohru couldn't see yet.  Kyo and Kagura were now resting where he had stopped, Kagura collapsed on the ground and Kyo on his knees, both of them looking wearily at something beyond Belduine with expressionless faces.  The others followed behind, scrambling up the slope until they managed to pull themselves to the top of the hill.  No one dared to break the silence and most of them were too out of breath to speak anyway.  As Tohru climbed the last few feet to level ground, she saw why Beludine had chosen to stop here and wait for them. 

At the top of the hill, through the gaps between trees that rose around them on all sides, was a spectacular view of the land.  

"Oh my God," Arisa murmured in a soft, stunned tone, the wind blowing her blonde hair away from her face.

Tohru felt her stomach flutter and her heart sink with a mixture of awe and fear.  Nestled in the bluish-black shades of night, miles of miles of wilderness landscape stretched out like a green blanket before them, the spiky tops of trees where the forest sprawled growing smaller as they curved around the earth and disappeared from view beyond the horizon.  There were no roads, no power lines, nothing to divide them from the vastness of nature.  To her left, the hills climbed higher, the trees penetrating the sky until, far in the distance, the jagged slopes of mountains loomed in the shadow of the night.  To her right, below where they stood, the forest thinned out over the slopes of lower foothills that abruptly leveled out into a treeless, highland plain that stretched into the distance. When the wind picked up, Tohru shivered, not from the cold but because it was as if some spirit was whispering into her skin.   

"That's where we're headed," Belduine said quietly when everyone was close enough to hear, and gestured into the distance with his spear. 

It was difficult to see clearly, but Tohru thought she saw smoke rising from the other side of the high plain, just beyond where her eyes could reach.  

"What is it?" Tohru said, startled by the way her voice seemed to disturb the silence around them.  The sounds of insects and wind and forest animals rustling in the bushes did not have the same harsh ring of human voices.  In this place, all of her problems seemed to shrink, swallowed up by a scene her vision could not encompass all at once.  She was afraid of the vastness before them, of the millions of trees marching over the hills like an army of still, silent soldiers.  Nothing here cared about them, and yet the feel of a presence was all around.  When the wind picked up, Tohru shivered, not from the cold but because it was if some spirit was whispering into her skin.  

"Is somebody burning something?" Yuki said.  He stood tall, one arm supporting a weak and sickly-looking Akito. As the wilderness pushed in around them, Akito leaned against Yuki, clinging to his arm as if his own body was about to break.  He refused to acknowledge the view.

"You can't see it through the trees, but there's a road that travels through the forest just under the shadow of the hills," Belduine explained, pointing to their far right.  "It leads to the town you were just in and is a merchant trail into the city."

"A city?" Tohru asked, half afraid and half hopeful.

He smiled at her.  "Not a large city.  Nothing like what you're used to, and it's a good ways from here.  The smoke you see is from a wayside haven, a sort of resting place for travelers.  It's tended by a monk I've met a few times before and it's a safe place for anyone seeking shelter, but we won't get there tonight.  Perhaps tomorrow.  After that, it's a few days traveling by foot to Feria."

"What about the others?" Kagura whispered. "Are they going to this city too?  When can we free them and go home?"

Belduine didn't answer her immediately, looking thoughtfully over the distance they had to travel.  "They're going another way," he said after a moment of silence. 

"Where exactly are they going?" Kyo asked.  "And where the hell are we for that matter?  You said you'd give us an explanation.  Where is Evermore?  Is that what you call this place?  This world?"

"No," Belduine said.  "Evermore is the forest behind those mountains." He pointed to their left, where the forested hills rose into the night under the shadows. "It's only a small bit of the larger forest we've been traveling through, but…." His face was strangely serious, somber and reflective, "it's the part of the forest that the seasons don't touch, where winter never comes and nothing ever dies."

Akito glanced up.  He had been standing unnoticed with his robes wrapped tightly around him, glowering at the trees and the plain and the mountains as if they were enemies that threatened him, but now his expression lifted, his eyes darting to the corners to listen without turning his head or appearing interested.

"Why doesn't anything change in Evermore?"  Arisa asked.

"Because the Esper is a true fairy," Belduine said.  "She's immortal and her magic seeps into the things around her so that they come to reflect her nature."

"What interest does she have in us?"  Yuki asked.  "And our curse?"

Tohru noticed Akito glance at Yuki askance, but he said nothing as Belduine explained.

"Legend has it that when the Esper came to this world she was a true fairy, something more like a spirit than a human, but that when she settled in the forest and gathered followers around her she took on a material shape."

"What does she look like?" Kyo asked.

"A girl," Belduine said.  "A girl strangely illuminated and forever youthful.  Her appearance changes, the specifics of her physical features, I mean, but she's always a youthful girl."

"When you say illuminated…" Arisa muttered.

"She glows," Belduine said.  "A golden color like the sun, like there's light shining just under her skin."

"That sounds very beautiful," Tohru whispered, trying to imagine what she must look like.  "So fairies look like young girls?  How tall is she?"

Belduine smiled at her.  "Not always, and the Esper is a different kind of fairy.  She's as tall as you are, Tohru, though sometimes she looks smaller because everything about her is youthful and timeless.  The kind of fairy that is tiny is a different sort, with a different nature.  Many kinds of things are called fairies.  You could say that any creature composed of magic is Fairy."

"And?  What does she want with the Sohams?" Yuki demanded.  "I still don't understand."

"Not everything that is beautiful is also friendly," Belduine said.  "Maybe she was once, I don't know.  Her powers are of the enchanting sort.  She puts a spell over those who approach her and it's very difficult to resist her will.  And there are other things she can do.  Because she's a fairy, she can use magic in ways mortals can't. It sustains her existence, for example, and in some ways obeys her will.  The magicians here depend on her for their power.  It doesn't come from inside them.  Without her they would be much lesser magicians, more like shamans or wise men; they would not have the aggressive powers they wield now.  She controls them and through them she has a power over the lands around her."

"So people in this area are afraid of her _and_ her magicians," Arisa murmured.  "Little chit."

Belduine grinned and Tohru had the impression that Belduine liked Arisa.  "They say that when she first came here, the Esper was like an Oracle that people came to for inspiration and advice and sometimes for healing.  There are four princedoms bordering Evermore.  At first relations were friendly.  She was like a goddess and the princes were pleased to present her with the land she made her home as a gift, what is now called Evermore, along with gifts of other kinds.  Jewels, carpets, incense, etc, but also servants, handmaidens to wait on her and soldiers to protect her borders."

"So what went wrong?" Arisa asked.

"I don't know," Belduine said.  "Perhaps none of it ever meant anything to her.  All I know for sure is that what she's really interested in are curses and some other kinds of dark magic.  The wizards who flocked to her took over the governing of Evermore, and the princes are now forced to tithe to the Esper, especially in handmaidens or other kinds of servants, but also in what which she really desires."

"So the Sohmas…" Tohru stammered.

"That's right," Belduine said.  "Evermore has become something of a slave society.  The Esper is immortal, powerful, beautiful, but with a blackened, jaded soul.  She desires to surround herself with misery, but it has to be magical, and the more miserable the better.  She feeds off the negative energy.  It's tangible to her, so the princes tithe in that too.  If someone is rumored to be cursed, even if it's only a suspicion or a rumor, they are bundled up and shipped off to Evermore.  If it turns out they are not cursed, sometimes they are released and sometimes they are forced into other kinds of service.  But it's the cursed that she wants, and she goes to extreme lengths to find that which feeds her fetish.  She uses her powers and a magic Key to search through other worlds.  That's how she discovered the Sohma family.  She cares nothing for the worlds themselves, only those who are cursed.  She wants them.  Fourteen people under one curse is like a banquet for her. It was worth the risk to investigate it, and to send in so many of her magicians to capture you."

"But…" Tohru said.  "The others won't be harmed, will they?  She won't hurt them?"

"No," Belduine said. "As long as they are near her she's content.  At most she will question them, or force them to be near her until she grows tired of their company.  Physically hurting them would be meaningless.  The material world doesn't mean that much to her.  But it's important for those of you who are free to keep safe.  Azaren will present those he has in captivity to her as soon as he can, but she'll want all of you because the potency of your curse depends in part on your proximity to one another.  If she gets all of you together, I'm not sure there will be much hope for you."

"We need to rescue the others, though!" Tohru said, and couldn't stop her hands from balling into fists or her lip from trembling.  "Just because it's difficult doesn't mean we can give up!"

"Whoa, easy," Belduine said, waving his hands and smiling.  "I'm just saying we can't go the short way, princess.  The pass through the mountains that Azaren will take is heavily guarded.  We can't go that way without being caught, so we'll have to go around.  It's longer, but safer, and it will give us time to think up a plan."

Tohru didn't say anything, but she felt uneasy. They had left the others behind and were going a different way, but it felt like they were abandoning them.   

"They'll be okay," Belduine assured her. "Evermore isn't like the prison of Cabadan and they should be reunited there.  There will be more freedom, though they won't be able to leave the compound.  But it doesn't matter.  We can't go back and rescue them in Cabadan now, and anyway, I'm sure Azaren is moving them even as we speak.  Ranlath will have finished and I imagine that's all they were waiting for."

 "Ah, of course," Saki said as if she suddenly understood something.

"Who's Ranlath?" Arisa asked.  

Kyo eyed Saki as if she were something altogether creepy and dangerous. "Is that the guy that asked all those funny questions?" he asked. 

Belduine titled his head to one side.  "Was he funny?"

"Uh, not on purpose, I don't think," Kyo muttered, scratching his head.  "I meant weird."

"He was very strange," Saki murmured, but her eyes glowed.  "The strangest waves I've ever felt."  She seemed enraptured by the memory.  "Almost… inhuman."

Belduine considered her for a moment in silence.  "Well he's a powerful magician," he said at last. "Very powerful.  He's the one who made it possible for me to communicate with the lot of you.  You said before that I was speaking Jabanese?"

"Japanese," Arisa corrected.

"Yeah," Belduine said.  "Well, I'm not really.  If you listen closely you'll realize I'm not speaking a language you understand, but you can still understand me and I can understand you.  I'm not really sure how he does it, but it's Ranlath's spell. The others don't know how it's done either.  The Esper's Magicians, I mean, like Azaren and the rest of them."

"What do you mean?" Kyo said.  "This Ranlath guy is not one of the Esper's magicians?"

"Not exactly.  He's in her service and should technically be under the authority of the Arch Wizard—Azaren, if you remember—but none of the magicians know where he came from.  He just showed up one day, not too long ago, spoke to the Esper privately and entered into her service.  No one is even sure what he wants or why he's here.  He keeps to himself for the most part. He doesn't even allow visitors into his rooms.   But he does what the Esper asks him to do, and he does it better and faster than even Azaren can."

"But if he's a magician," Arisa pressed, "surely they must know who he is or where he learned to do what he does.  I mean, how do you become a magician? Isn't there some kind of degree program or something?"

Belduine sighed.  "You have to be trained, yeah, and they have schools in the East, where its rumored Azaren had perhaps the greatest potential in a century or more.  But Ranlath didn't come from there.  No one had ever heard of him before he showed up."

"Did the Esper know who he was?" Kyo muttered.

"I don't know," Belduine said, and refused to say more.

Tohru looked back and forth between Belduine and the faces of the Sohmas, listening with only half an ear because she didn't understand clearly what was being discussed or what she was supposed to do with the information.  Yuki's expression was strangely dark as he looked at Belduine from the side of his eye.

"Anyway," Belduine said with a shrug, "tomorrow we'll have to cross that plain," he pointed below them, where the foothills became less pronounced and the trees began to thin.  "We have a bit of a way left to go before we're out of the forest, and hopefully we'll find a stream coming down from the mountains where we can rest for what remains of the night.  I know you all must be thirsty and tired."

Tohru actually felt dizzy from dehydration and renewed hunger and general weakness, but she didn't want to complain, and she was sure the others weren't doing much better.  Those riceballs had helped, but they had been walking a long time and had farther to go without any real rest.  She tried not to think about it.

Belduine jumped off the log and trotted ahead of them, guiding them down the other side of the hill they had climbed, Tohru and the others following more slowly.

"What do you think?" Arisa muttered in Yuki's direction when he was out of ear shot.

"I don't know," Yuki replied with a sigh. "I feel like he's not telling us something, maybe a lot of things."

"But that doesn't mean anything!" Tohru interjected.  "I mean, he's doing so much for us and there's a lot we don't know about this place!  He can't tell us everything all at once, right?"

"That's true," Arisa mused, "but still…"

"It's like he's holding something back," Yuki intoned, and then added more kindly, "I'm not saying he's going to betray us.  I think he means to help us, but I don't entirely trust him.  I guess we'll just have to be careful.  Are you okay, Miss Honda?  You look pale."

"Huh?" she said, blinking.  "Oh. No!  I'm fine!  Please don't worry about me.  I lived in the woods by myself in tent, remember? I'm used to this!  It's not hard for me at all.  Please don't trouble yourself!"

He smiled at her, and she blushed, freezing stock still as he reached out to touch a lock of her hair, almost absently.  His fingers caressed her face.  "That wasn't what I meant, but I am glad to hear it."  Not seeming to notice the way Tohru had ceased to breathe, he turned his gaze from her to where Akito shuffled along at the back of the group, Ayame hovering like a worried mother hen at his shoulder.  Tohru's heart lurched back into motion.  "Akito?" Yuki called out.  "Are you all right?"

Akito didn't answer, but looking at him, Tohru wondered herself.  He didn't even seem to notice Yuki talking to Tohru.  The hem of his robes dragged through the dirt and bracken and his skin looked pale, even paler than usual.  Tohru realized that even Ayame had been quiet since their escape.  Maybe he was worried.  But, of course, there were lots of things to be worried about, things she was trying not to think of.  Everyone had been acting strangely. It occurred to her how frightened everyone must be.

"Come on!" Belduine called ahead of them. "And watch your step.  It's dark this way."

"Doesn't he ever get tired?" Kyo muttered.  "It's so annoying!  He sounds like Momiji sometimes."

"I hope Momiji is okay," Kagura muttered, and started off after Belduine without answering Kyo's question.  The rest followed in silence.

They followed their small, secretive guide on a winding trail that at first seemed to take them back the way they came, but then took to a darker trail.  Tohru was quickly lost.  The trees thickened around them, the foliage covering up the view of the sky until they were stumbling in blankness, walking slowly to avoid tripping on roots and stones and tumbling into one another.  When the darkness grew deeper, Tohru took deep breaths to steady herself, trying to widen her eyes so as to soak in the small seepage of light that glinted through the gaps in the leaves overhead.  The ascent had not been so troublesome and she just kept telling herself that it was only for a little while, just long enough to get down the hill.  The forest might get even thicker as it rose higher into the mountains and she should be thankful that they would be crossing a plain tomorrow instead.  Even so, she didn't like thinking what might be watching her in this place.  She didn't want to admit how frightened she was.  There was nothing out here… nothing for miles.  And she couldn't see a thing.

_Don't be afraid.  Be strong! Mom would have wanted you to be brave!_

But anything could happen in a place like this.

Kagura's voice from somewhere ahead snapped her out of darker thoughts.

"Kyo, hold my hand!" 

"No."

"But I can't see!"

"Yeah, and if you trip, you'll pull me down too!"

Tohru smiled then, relieved to hear the bickering and complaining that was as dear to her as her own happiness.  She wanted her family to be happy, and when they acted like themselves, she knew that everything was okay.  Even if she couldn't see, even when she was lost in a dark forest, with the ones around her that she loved, it wasn't so scary.  Someone would catch her if she fell.

It was a surprise when she felt someone grasp her hand from behind, and more of a surprise when she turned to look over her shoulder to barely make out Yuki's large, beautiful eyes gleaming at her warmly and reassuringly.  "Watch your step, Miss Honda."

She smiled back, grasping his hand as they walked.  She was conscious of her other hand being empty because Kyo was pacing somewhere up ahead, but she gripped Yuki's hand in hers and marched forward with a braver heart.

"I really can't see anything," Arisa muttered from somewhere behind.  "Hana, is that you?"

"No."

"Who else has hair this long?" Arisa muttered.

"It's _me_!" Ayame exclaimed with exuberant glee.  "Please don't touch me so _provocatively, _Miss Uotani.  I'm afraid you're a bit young, legally speaking at least—not that we have to tell anybody!  But then, it might be a bit much at your age to experience the wonders of my amazing body and infamous talent..."

"Yeah, sure," Arisa interrupted.  "What do you turn into, anyway?"

"A snake!"

"Figures."

"Hey, what's that?" Yuki whispered from beside Tohru, and the way he said it made her look.

Tohru peered ahead, her eyes drawn immediately to what looked like a round green light no larger than her fingernail, floating in the darkness some yards ahead.

"It's pretty," Tohru said, not sure what to make of it.  The group became silent as they approached the light, its tiny glow illuminating their faces to one another and making their pathway easier to navigate.  As Ayame escorted Akito over a fallen log, the Juunishi God paused to stare at a second light that rose up from the ground to float near his face.  

"Is Belduine doing this?" Arisa whispered.  "Can anyone see him?"

"No, not yet," Yuki replied, then caught his breath.  "What in the world?"

A second light was followed by a third, appearing just beneath a branch as if it had dripped from a leaf to float languidly in the air just in front of Tohru's eyes, wavering like a suspended feather.  And then a fourth. A fifth.  Tohru's heart beat loudly in her chest.  She turned on her toes in a circle, mouth opening in amazement as the forest trail erupted in a wash of green light from a hundred specks materializing out of thin air, like tiny Christmas lights suspended from nothing.  Tohru lost count as tiny orbs of glowing green light drifted around them.  They seemed to float on breaths of air, but her hands passed through them rather than knocking them about.  She watched as Akito lifted a hand to catch one, but when he opened his hand, the light was gone, as if distinguished by his touch.  Ayame was staring around him in genuine amazement.

"Is this more magic?" Arisa murmured.

"I confess, I've never seen anything like it," Ayame said.

"You make it sound like we should have _expected_ you had!" Yuki said with clear irritation.

"Ha ha ha ha ha!"

"Over here, you guys!" they heard Kagura's voice beckon them from somewhere ahead.

Tohru released Yuki's hand as she walked easily along a trail now illuminated by softly glowing sparkles, looking around her with wide, enchanted eyes, her fatigue and thirst momentarily forgotten.  Ahead of them, Belduine was sitting on a large rock, legs swinging above the ground with Kagura by his side and Kyo at his shoulder, holding something in his hand.  

Tohru moved to stand beside Kyo, looking down at what appeared to be a butterfly made entirely out of the same green light as the specks, its wings moving very slowly as it perched on Belduine's palm.

"What is it?" Tohru asked.

Belduine smiled.  "Nothing," he said.  "It's an illusion, made from magic.  Here." He grabbed Kagura's hand and turned her palm over.  Very carefully, just as if it were a real butterfly, he transferred the creature to Kagura's fingers.  

"It feels real," Kagura whispered.  "I can even feel its feet."

"I don't get it," Kyo said blatantly.  "Are you doing this so we can see or something?"

"Isn't that kind of thinking a bit too practical?" Arisa muttered. "Come on, Orange-top." She smiled, looking up and around her.  "Learn to just appreciate something."

"It's not me," Belduine said.  "This is magic residue that was stored in the forest.  They call dribbles of leftover magic that responds this way 'fairy lights.' It might be drawn to me, or maybe to your curse, or EC's waves, and that's why it appears, but it's nothing more than bits of a spell that was cast here a long time ago and reacting to its own.  I turned this bit into a butterfly, though." 

"Fairy lights?" Tohru whispered.

Belduine smiled at her.  "Do you want to see a fairy, Tohru?  Since the Esper probably isn't like you might have imagined?"

Tohru beamed.  For some reason, Kyo glowered at Belduine, his fists on his hips and his expression surly.

Belduine covered a bit of glowing light over a leaf as if it were a small flame he meant to shelter from the wind.  When he lifted his hand, Tohru saw what looked like a tiny person standing on the edge of a leaf, a winged person with long flowing hair that covered a body made entirely of light.  She was so small, not even an inch tall, that Tohru could barely make out the details, but the details were delicate and exact and beautiful.

"Is she real?" she whispered.

"It looks stupid," said Kyo, though his eyes were glued to it.  

The fairy took a few prancing steps, smiling mischievously as she shook sparkles from her wings. Tohru was convinced she must be real, but Belduine shook his head.  "No, it's an illusion, and I'm afraid I can't make it very big for you.  These are fairy lights, you see, not fairies. It's the ideas people have about magic that give it shapes like this.  Belief is a very powerful thing.  It guides energy like a river is guided by a bank."

"But not just anybody can do it, right?"

It was Arisa, standing a little ways back with Hana, who was smiling as she waved a hand through a flurry of green sparks, silent and content.

"The magic has to run through the wielder already," Belduine said with a nod.  "I'm talking about giving it direction, and this magic is already here.  In this world you don't have to be born with magic to become a magician either, though  most magicians are born of advanced families as the expense and commitment is not light.  So not just anybody can even try for it, but technically they can teach it to anyone who has the right capacity to learn and understand it."

"Like learning a craft?" Kagura asked.  "The way you read books or go to school or practice an instrument?"

"Sort of, but not exactly.  You have to absorb magic into your body from reservoirs such as these in order to use it, to train your body to be a kind of conductor.  It's possible for anyone, but it can be dangerous.  It's not for everybody."

"So that means you've been to this school then?" Arisa asked. "And undergone these procedures?  Since you can do magic?"

Belduine didn't respond at first.  He brushed a finger against the fairy and she dissolved, the light that had produced her melting into the leaf upon which she had been standing.  She smiled and winked as she vanished.  "Oh. Um. My situation is a little different," he replied.  "I _was_ born with it, actually, though not much of it.  It's just… it's not a common thing.  No, I haven't been to the school."

This was met with a silence broken by Yuki coming toward them from where he had been talking to Akito, or rather, being talked to.  "Belduine?" Yuki said politely.  "Are we almost to a resting place?"

Belduine glanced beyond those huddled around him to where Akito leaned against a tree as if dizzy, though he seemed to be watching the lights moving around him with interest, turning his slender hands over as if hoping they would alight on his skin.  Whenever one did, a small smile crept across his face.  Even so, he looked unsteady, his eyes shadowed and his skin sallow.

"Why? Kyo demanded.  "What did he say?"

Yuki's eyes narrowed in Kyo's direction, but his answer was directed at the others. "Maybe he's faking, but then again, he's never been outside like this before, or walked for so long without rest and nourishment.  He's obviously tired and overwhelmed, but whether or not it's more than that, we need to rest soon.  His health is not good.  And to be honest, I don't feel so well either."

"Okay," Belduine said.  "We're almost there.  We'll keep moving so we can stop sooner."

"Is there a doctor that can maybe help him?" Tohru asked anxiously. "Akito?  I mean, I know that this is a strange place, but there must be people who can take care of the sick!"

"Probably not in the forest, Tohru," Saki murmured.

"Yeah, they don't live under rocks," Arisa said.

Kyo scoffed.  "Ah, hell.  Don't worry about it. Akito's never been without someone to pamper him. I think he's in no worse shape than the rest of us.  He's just being a baby."

"Kyo…" Kagura said, looking up from her butterfly.  "Hatori is a real doctor.  If he says Akito is sick sometimes, then he's really sick."

Belduine frowned.  "I'm not sure you want to trust a doctor from anywhere around here with Akito's kind of illness, but there might be something in the city.  I'll look into it when we get there.  For now we'll just have to take it easy and go slowly." He smiled at Kagura.  "Don't worry, beautiful.  Everything will be fine."  He gestured to the butterfly that was now perched on her thumb. "Can I have that back?"  She proffered her hands and he took the butterfly from her gently, tilting her hands with his until the creature alighted onto his fingers.  As Belduine extended his arm, it flapped its wings rapidly, faster and faster until the light of its green body glowed brighter, its energy expanding until, in a shower of illuminating sparks, it suddenly burst apart.  Kagura gasped, her eyes wide and mournful, but Belduine's smiling never altered.  Watching the space where the fairy light had been, Tohru felt as if the butterfly hadn't died, but had somehow been released, its energy clinging to the natural world where it had been born.

"Okay," Belduine said.  "Let's go." Hopping off his rock, he grabbed his spear from where he had leaned it against a tree and took to the trail again.

Yuki and Ayame helped Akito move away from the tree, holding his arms as he swayed dizzily, blinking at them and then smiling slyly.  Tohru watched with concern until Akito noticed her stare and turned a hateful glare on her.  She looked away, flushing with hurt and embarrassment, though she was not sure why he made her feel so horrid and useless with just a glance.

Belduine led all of them down a steep slope, the green lights illuminating their trail as they passed and winking out behind them.  Even so, at a point or two, Tohru almost lost her balance and barely avoided a tumble down the hill.  The trail down was longer than Tohru had anticipated, and she wondered idly how long they had been traveling and what time it was.  It felt like the middle of the night.  Her head was swimming, and the fairy lights, though enchantingly beautiful, now made her feel as if she were stumbling through a dream world.  

"Watch your step," Kyo's voice came from behind her.  She felt his hand grasp her arm, steadying her.  A moment later, Yuki's fingers curled around her other arm. 

"Miss Honda?  Are you sure you're okay?"

"What?" she mumbled, trying to focus her eyes enough to see them both clearly.  "Oh, I'm fine. Please don't worry about me…" She smiled and tried to walk forward, but somehow her feet got tangled and she tripped, the ground rushing up to meet her.  She heard Yuki and Kyo make an exclamation simultaneously, their hands catching her before she fell. She couldn't manage to see properly.

Next thing she clearly remembered, someone was lifting her head gently and tilting her face toward something wet and cold and wonderful.

"Here.  Drink."

Tohru eyes shifted to look at Saki Hanajima kneeling beside her, holding her head to a cup from her backpack filled with water.  Closing her eyes, Tohru drank greedily, sputtering, but swallowing the cool liquid gratefully, not worrying if it was sanitary or filtered of anything like that, not in a place like this.  Her head still swam, but she felt better almost immediately.

When she laid her head back down, she could see stars.  They glimmered high overhead, winking between the long, thin branches of trees reaching across the sky like the spidery hands of monsters.  She realized she was lying on the ground with a blanket thrown over her chest and torso and was staring up into a sky that was not blotted out by a trees.  Sitting up slowly, she looked around.

The Sohmas were making camp.  A hundred paces away she could see the end of the forest and the beginning of the plain they had all seen from higher up.  Here the trees were thin and spread out, many of them not tall enough to compete with their brothers higher in the foothills.  Leaves were scattered along the forest floor, the dirt hard and dry and dusty, perfect for a campsite.  But what really caught her attention was the sound of running water.  She glanced at a little gully that ran at the bottom of the steep hill they had climbed down, a gurgling stream that probably came down from the mountains at some point, though she could not say where.

"Hana?" she whispered.  "How did I get here?"

"Oh, Tohru.  You should have said something if you were so sick.  You were incoherent and almost passed out.  We had to carry you the rest of the way down."

"Oh!  I'll bet that was awkward!" Tohru gasped, thinking of the curse and imagining Yuki and Kyo having to sling her between them, or perhaps Arisa carrying her on her back. "I'm so sorry to have troubled you!"

Hana smiled at her.  "It's all right.  It wasn't much further and it didn't take us long to find this stream."

"Kagura, stand back, I mean it!" Kyo's voice roared from not too far away.  "If you knock the tent down again, I'm really going to maul you this time!"

"Oh, _really_?" Kagura shouted back. "Because I'd really like to see you try!"

"Both of you be quiet!"  Yuki snapped from where he was kneeling beside a sleeping Akito, or at least an Akito who appeared to be asleep.  Tohru wondered.

"Shut up, you damn rat!  I didn't do anything!  Stop pretending you're in charge around here!"

Tohru smiled, though the way Kyo and Yuki were facing off, she feared they were going to get into a fight.  "Hey," you guys?" she said as loud as she could, though the rasping sound in her throat wasn't very loud at all. 

They turned at the sound of her voice, concern replacing anger in an instant. 

"Oh, Tohru!" Ayame exclaimed.  "Our little flower is awake!  Isn't it wonderful?  You naughty naughty boys probably woke her up with your _detestable_ racket!"  We waggled an admonishing finger at them.

"Like you're one to talk!" Kyo shouted, pointing an accusatory finger back at Ayame.  Ayame gasped in mock outrage.

Tohru wrapped her arms around her knees.  Their campsite wasn't much.  Kagura, Yuki and Kyo had made something like a tent out of some long sticks and a large blanket Arisa had stuffed in her backpack.  There was nothing to eat, but everyone had had plenty of water from the stream and though the night was nearer to morning now than night, Tohru hoped they would all be able to sleep soon. She was dreadfully tired, and she could tell the others were too, from their tempers if nothing else.

Belduine appeared from the edge of the forest, trotting toward the group.  "I think we're safe," he announced.  "We can sleep here for the rest of the night."

"What are we going to eat?" Arisa asked.  "I'm starving. I've been starving."

"Nothing tonight," Belduine said.  "Tomorrow…  Well I think I can find us something, but for now let's just sleep."

"I'm okay with that," Kyo muttered.  "I'm too tired to eat anyway, though some of Tohru's baked codfish would be really nice."

"Shut up, you stupid cat," Yuki muttered wearily, seemingly for no reason this time.  Tohru knew they were both really grouchy, not to mention they both had other reasons to be upset, but she wished they didn't take it out on each other.  She was afraid that Kyo would transform, and she didn't want him to.

Arisa, Uo and Tohru made a bed for themselves in the leaves, and after a harsh denial from Kyo and a warm beckoning from Tohru, Kagura joined them.  Hana had a few thin blankets in her backpack that she passed around to everybody and they all settled down where they were able, trying to get as comfortable as possible.  Akito slept a little distant from everyone else, refusing to be too close to anyone.   Tohru worried about his health, hoping that there wasn't something really wrong with him and wondering what they would do if there was.  Everyone except Tohru seemed to fall asleep immediately, and it was only because she was worrying so hard.  Belduine did not lie down right away, instead running about their campsite, moving like a shadow.  Tohru was too tired to even try and figure out what he was doing or why.  She didn't see if he ever did lie down, but though it didn't register with any meaning right away, she heard him whisper to himself as her eyes closed.

"I can't do this.  What was he thinking?"  He paused, moving again through the leaves and out of her hearing.  After awhile he cursed, though she didn't understand the meaning of what he said.  Perhaps it was in another language.  As she drifted off to sleep, not quite sure if she was dreaming or not, she heard him mutter soberly under his breath.   "I think we _are_ being followed."

TBC  (really!)

To Reviewers:  (you guys still out there….?)  It's been so long you probably don't remember what you wrote me, but I will thank you all anyway!!!

**Mizaya****:**  You are so cute!  I am sorry about Haru not being rescued.  You will see him soon enough, though!  You might even get his POV.  ^_~  I'm off to read your newest updates now!

**Grrl**** N:** I'm glad you liked the way I portrayed Shigure in the last chapter (however long ago you read it *chagrin*)  I'm trying to stick to the characters as much as possible and it's really difficult to juggle so many, so I appreciate the analysis!  Thank you very much! 

**Miaka**** Mouse:**  Thank you for reviewing again!  You know I love it when you do and I'm glad you got it to work.  It's so frustrating to think that there are people who want to review but can't b.c FF.net has glitches.  Please don't let that stop you, guys!

**Tc-3:**  Yeah, it was a hell of a long chapter!  This one feels really long too, but I don't think as long as the last one. I'm not sure because it's been a long time.  Lol.  As for Yukiru/Kyoru, I have my preferences but I haven't determined the exact outcome of this story and I don't want to say in any case!  There will be romance, though! 

**Tri:** exactly what I was thinking with Momiji and Shigure.  But Momiji really couldn't travel anyway. However, I will be returning to all the people left behind, so you will hear more about it later. ^_^  Momiji is def. something special!

**Nonsequitur****:** Sorry for making you wait so long!!!  And thank you so much for your continued interested and long, insightful reviews.  They mean a lot!  Arisa and Kureno will be dealt with in due time, but I don't want to tell you too much about it right now.  ^^  Thank you so much for your adept analysis of what I'm doing here.  It helps me know what I'm doing right and what might need more work.  You will get more of the other characters later so please stay tuned! Thank you so much!

**Calendar**: yes, our poor innocent Tohru shouldn't see killing, though she's strong in her own way.  ^_~ Thank you so much for reading and I hope you haven't decided I've abandoned the story and come back!

**Sarlinia****:**  O_O wow. What an amazing review!  I'm unworthy!  Thank you so much.  ^^  I hope that my writing will improve to the point where I can publish original works some day. Until then I'm practicing and thinking and creating things.  It means so much to me that you help my dreams by reviewing my work.  Thank you!  It would take too much to go through what I think of all the characters in this story, but I'm very pleased that you understand my take on things so very well!  I will keep trying to do a good job and I hope you continue to like it.

**SAL-chan:** It's okay!  Momiji and Haru and Hatori and others will all be in the story and their part will be just as interesting!  As for what Shigure's going to do… well it'll be something, but I can't tell you what. ^_^  As for Belduine, I'm glad you had that reaction b.c it wasn't supposed to be something that was expected.

**Merei-chan****:**  T_T  Thank you for reviewing this time even if you couldn't last time.  I am so happy now!!!  Of course I like reviews every chapter. Every author does!  But I hope more that you keep reading and enjoying the story and possibly sharing it with other people who might enjoy it.  So glad you reviewed!  Thank you very much!  As for Tohru taking a risk/chance for the Sohmas, something like that just might happen *wink* but you'll have to keep reading!

**R Junkie:**  Ah, yes, Akito didn't ask about Kureno for a reason, but I haven't explained that yet.  You'll hear more about Kureno later.   As for Yuki, it's difficult to write every reaction every character has for every other character.  You're right.  Yuki would def. be worried about Haru, but then, there's nothing much he can do for Haru and Tohru was in more danger.  I hope that satisfies you! 

**Kyra**** Rivers:**  I'm sorry I worried you!  I am continuing the story.  I've just been very very busy and I'm trying to write WAY too many stories when I do have free time.  Wheel of Time is awesome and I like Perrin too, lol.  *reaction to review* HA ha ha!  I love reading your reviews. Lol.  Yes, Belduine does keep them on task, at least while they're confused and in a strange place.  Things will (hopefully) continue to get more interesting, though! I know there was a lot of information in this chapter and I'm concerned that it's not very understandable at the moment, but I hope some of your questions were answered.  I also hope some curiosity was perked.  Lol.  Anyway, sorry for the long wait and thank you for the reviews!

**Niana**** Kuonji:**  Whoo-hoo!  I finally got another one out. Wow.  It's SOOO overdue.  _  This is my fault, I know.  I'm sorry.  Is it "you can't turn cream into cheese?"  I'll have to watch it again, heh.  I can't remember.  I was thinking of how you anybody can turn cream into butter basically by shaking it really hard. Lol.  The people still in Evermore will have a very interesting storyline, but your comments might give me ideas so keep 'em coming!  As for Akito, he's a little out of it right now, but more will be happening with him when things settle a bit.

**Mirtle****:**  You reviewed again!  Yay!  I'm glad you like the little side plot with Prince Temien.  Of course that will important later so keep an eye on it.  ^_^

**Rei**** Asakura:**  So glad you reviewed!  Thank you so very much!  I hope you keep reading.

**Melinda-chan:**  I hope you are feeling better!  I've felt bad about not updating.  O_O  And thank you too for the break down.  It actually helps me when I'm counting the characters.  They're so hard to keep track of! Lol.  I like your worries over the characters.  You are right on some things, but I don't want to spoil the fun of it!

**Tefkomikk****:**  Ooh!  A new reviewer.  Thank you so much and I'm really happy that you're reading.  I definitely hope you return, though (with my own behavior) I probably shouldn't count my chickens!  Anyway, thank you very much for the compliment and please return! I really appreciate your readership. ^_^

**Phasera****:**  woah, another new reviewer.  I'm so ecstatic!  And what compliments! I'm trying really hard to produce something that is original and interesting as well as IC here, so I really appreciate the feedback! Thank you very much!

**SageWriting**: Lol.  An official movie?  Well I hope I write my own original stories someday! That quite a compliment.  Thank you. I really hope you keep reviewing this story as it takes so much out of me.  Thank you—seriously—very much for the comments.  They really mean a lot.

**Demeter1**: Thank you!  Akito has an important place in this story, though he's kinda hanging around the sidelines at the moment.  Please keep reading because I intend to do more with him.  Let me know what you want to see too ^_^

**Daemonchan****:**  HA HA!  Yes, Akito might become something of a burden, lol.  ^_~ I'm really happy to receive your review. Thank you so very much!  It's definitely a compliment if someone says they couldn't stop reading!

**Rashaka****:**  Hey thanks!  I'm glad to see that not updating for a long time at least brought in such a good reviewer!  I'm glad you like EC and don't worry about Kyoru. There will definitely be more of it.  I hope you continue reading.  I really appreciate the feedback!


	15. The Holdings of Evermore

Hi, everyone! I know it's been a long time.  I guess this is just one of those stories that has a lot of space between updates.  You know how real life gets in the way and this is not an easy story to write.  Hopefully I still have a few readers, though the practice is for me.  However, since my audience pool is so small, I feel lucky to get a few reviews.  Please, if you are reading, take the time to say hello and a little bit about what you think of the chapter.  It will really make all the work seem worth it and make the writing easier.  Thank you very much!

Evermore

Chapter 15

By Zapenstap

            Kyo felt like he had just lain down when he felt something prodding him awake. He opened his eyes slowly, blinking in the faint bluish gray light of the predawn. 

            "Hey."

            Kyo raised his head tiredly, glaring at whoever had awoken him. He felt bone weary, worse than he did when it rained. Belduine knelt on one knee beside him, his broken spear slung across his back and bouncing a few stones between his hands.  Stifling a yawn, Kyo turned to look and see if he was the last one up, and was surprised to see the others still laid out in sleeping mounds.

            "What do you want?" Kyo demanded irritably.  The kid glanced toward the horizon, where the sun had not yet risen, as if estimating the time.  He smiled when he looked back at Kyo, his face half covered with shadow.

            "You're a cat, right?"

            Kyo sat up, suddenly awake.  Scowling, he worked the stiffness out of his shoulders.  Sleeping on roots and rocks after a long hike through the mountains and a harrowing escape from a dungeon and being woken up earlier than everyone else because he was the cat did not put him in the best mood.  "What are you talking about?  What time is it?"

            "Hunting time," Belduine whispered, "feeding time for deer and rabbits and maybe even fish if we can reach the river in time."

            Kyo felt his stomach rumble at the mention of fish.  When was the last time he ate anything?  What he wouldn't give was filleted…

            "Everyone's hungry," Belduine said, interrupting his thoughts.  "I'll do what I can alone if I have to, but I'm not used to taking care of other people, and there are so many of you.  Will you help me?"

Looking at the others sleeping on the ground, Kyo wondered if they were as hungry as he felt.  Tohru's face looked pale where she slept on her stomach next to Saki Hanajima.  Kyo remembered how Tohru collapsed from thirst yesterday, before they found the stream, and how he and Yuki had carried her like a sack slung between them.  Yuki was sleeping too, coughing every once in awhile, though seemingly unaware of it.  Kyo frowned.  Even cold, starving, thirsty, tired and hacking himself to death from sleeping outdoors, Yuki managed to fill him with hate and envy.  He was stronger, quieter, quicker, and more responsible; Yuki was better at most things. 

"Why me?" he asked. 

Belduine followed his gaze, watching Yuki sleep in silence, and then got to his feet, brushing the dirt off his knees.  "I asked you because you're supposed to be a cat," he said.  "Cats are hunting animals.  And you seemed restless in your sleep.  I was hoping you wouldn't have trouble waking up at this hour."

Kyo blinked.  Squinting at the horizon, he realized that this was the hour he usually awoke, especially when he had been living in the mountains with his master.  Looking back at Tohru, he wondered if she might collapse again if there was nothing to eat again today.  His own stomach rumbled again and he sighed.  Well, he was already awake. "What do you want me to do?"

Belduine grinned and straightened.  "Just follow me."

Belduine led him away from their campsite and out from under the trees, slipping around the sleeping bodies in complete silence, not even the leaves on the ground rustling with his passing. Working out the stiffness in his muscles, Kyo followed more slowly.  When they broke out from under the shade of the trees and onto a grassy plain, a slight breeze picked up, rustling the hair on Kyo's head as he quickened his pace to a steady jog.

Kyo was surprised how different things looked during the day.  The mountains behind them were covered in forest, but what had been an obstacle in the night was a beautiful, majestic sight during the day.  Kyo found himself looking around as he ran, his gaze sweeping back over the mountain they had climbed and further to the range of mountains stretching in the distance, getting taller and more beautiful the farther and higher his eyes traveled.  Except for this plain, everywhere he looked there were trees, most of them unfamiliar to him, but familiar enough to make it easy to pretend that he was back in the mountains again with his master.

But instead of a leisurely walk through the forest trails with Kazuma, he was in another world and another age, following this stranger—a short kid wearing black boots with a spear strapped to his back and a few magic tricks tucked up his sleeve—because he was lost and hungry.  Kyo reminded himself that that spear had killed someone yesterday: deliberately.  He had to remember that despite his innocent face and small stature, there was something almost… _casually_ dangerous about Belduine.

Belduine led him swiftly across the plain, the thick yellowed grass itching about their knees and the uneven ground causing them to be wary of their footing.  Nevertheless, Belduine showed surprising speed, and as he did not wait for Kyo, Kyo took it upon himself to keep up.  Maybe Yuki could take him out without breaking a sweat, but he would be damned before this little shrimp would outpace him!

The sound of running water made his ears prick up.  Belduine ran easily up a little hill that rose before them and crouched down in the grass like a lion.  They had been skirting around many such little hills that dotted the plain, the unevenness in the ground allowing for a bit of cover.  Even exposure to the sky overhead made Kyo a little nervous, but he supposed if there was anyone following them, those left behind, sleeping, were in more danger than Belduine and himself.  His hackles rose at the thought, but it was too late to wonder if this was some kind of trick.

He clambered up the hill to kneel next to where Belduine was crouching and looked down at a wide stream winding its way down from the mountains, a stream that possibly traced its roots back to the little brook where they had made their campsite.  Kyo followed it with his eyes, not able to see Tohru and the others anymore, but imagining that they were still sleeping soundly, undisturbed as the sun crept up over the hills and bathed the plain in a golden dawn.

When he looked back at the stream, he saw what Belduine had been staring at.  There were deer, antelopes similar to the ones that came to shines and parks in the cities of Japan, but these deer were wild, their black-tipped ears twitching at the slightest sound, muscles tensed and ready to bolt at the slightest disturbance.  There was something beautiful and strangely alluring about their long necks and glossy coats as they dipped their heads near the stream to drink the fresh mountain spring water.  They looked well fed.

"How do you catch one?" Kyo asked, swallowing, and was surprised to think that he had been looking at the animals as food.  His stomach grumbled, submitting its opinion to his brain that such a thought was sensible.

"The deer?"  Belduine asked, sounding surprised.  "I might be able to kill one, but they take too long to prepare and I don't have the tools."  He fished what looked like a sling out of his coat and picked up a few rocks from the ground.  When had he made that?

Kyo hadn't considered _how_ he might eat a deer once it was killed.  He was used to buying prepared food at the grocery store.  He imagined cutting into the animal's skin and breaking the bones apart to get at the meat and shuddered.  He was about to ask Belduine what they were going to hunt if not deer, but when he turned his head and opened his mouth, Belduine was gone.

He stood up, looking around.   He hadn't felt Belduine move from his spot next to him, nor noticed his going.  Did he disappear?  Perhaps he could use magic—Kyo's mind toyed awkwardly with the idea—to vanish into thin air.  The fairy lights they had seen last night had been amusing when he was tired, but now the idea of pieces of magic floating about and taking strange shapes seemed outlandish and freakish. Just as he was starting to cringe from the thought, he spotted Belduine prowling through the brush.

Belduine was stalking something.  Instinct made Kyo crouch down, fingers digging into the soil as he stared through the long grass, still and silent as a lion.  He couldn't see whatever it was Belduine had his eye on, but he knew he was about to go in for the kill when the boy rose up on his toes, a rock nestled in the cradle of his sling, and lifted one arm over his head. 

The deer by the stream raised their heads, soft brown eyes looking in two directions as they lifted their hooves nervously.  Belduine swung the sling overhand in a single windup, whipping the retention cord behind his body and over his head.  It made a soft whirring sound and released with a snap.  A second later Kyo heard a thud and thump.  The deer bolted at the sound, tearing across the field in small, bounding groups.

Kyo waited where he was until Belduine walked back up the hill.  The boy had his sling in one hand, made from a strip of leather and a bit of rope, and in the other he carried a large bird—something like a pheasant—by the feet.  Kyo stared at the legs and feathers of the thing and tried to imagine it plucked and cooked over a fire.  His stomach rumbled plaintively.

But it wasn't enough to feed all of them. 

Belduine smiled at him.  "We'll try the stream for fish," he said.  "And then see what else we can find.  We have maybe an hour or so before we have to get back."  He handed Kyo the sling.  "Ever used one of these?  I used to kill birds and small animals with them when I was a kid." 

Kyo took the sling and examined it slowly.  It consisted of three parts: the retention cord, the cradle and the release cord.  The retention cord, made from a bit of rope, was looped at one end to fit over his wrist so it couldn't fly away.  The release cord, made from another bit of rope, was simply held in the hand until it was time to let go and release the rock.  The rock was held in the cradle, a strip of leather adjoining the ends of the two pieces of rope which held it until a few swings would give it enough momentum for a launch.  Belduine had done it in one swing and managed to hit something with enough accuracy to kill it. 

"I'll show you how," Belduine said.  "It's not too hard to pick up if you have any natural aim.  The real trick with hunting is to stay calm.  Animals can sense fear.  So can people.  You'll spoil the kill if you rush.  If you want to catch anything, stay calm, be confident, and go for it with everything you've got."

If he hadn't been starving, Kyo might have objected to the tutorial, but as it was, he just took the sling and looked about for some decent rocks.  Belduine hefted his spear shaft with a smile and leaped down the hill toward the stream without looking back.

Kyo walked the other direction to avoid scaring the game, practicing with the sling a few times against a scraggly tree some way away from the stream, grimacing when the rock got tangled in the sling or went wide of the target.  It wasn't his choice of weapon, but it was simple, easy to use and as he hurled rocks against the tree routinely, he was able to think.

He wondered if they were missed at home since yesterday, and if they would ever get back there.  He supposed it didn't really matter.  In this world, there was nothing to do except accept circumstances as they were and struggle onward.  It wasn't too different really than the way he had been living before.  He felt like he had been struggling to survive his whole life, misfortune and tragedy piled on misfortune and tragedy since his cursed birth.  His was a cursed life. Everything around him that was good felt like a bubble about to pop at any second.  He didn't even wonder about his bracelet anymore, or whether he was a monster masquerading as a human or a human masquerading as a monster.  Tired and hungry as he was, he didn't have the emotional reserves to transform into his doubly cursed shape, but he could still feel it there, lurking under his skin, waiting for the right moment to consume him body and soul.  The cat was cursed.  They were all cursed.  That's why they were here. Perhaps he belonged in the hold of the Esper.  Save Tohru and her friends. The oblivious hopefulness in Tohru's face was a stark contrast to the twisted existence of the Sohma's, and always had been. 

The rock in his sling hurdled from the sling as he released the cord, thwacking against the tree twenty paces away with enough force to crack the trunk.   He had another rock in the sling a moment later, his lips tightening and muscles tensing as he flung the second stone at the target. It went wide.

Tohru didn't belong here.  She didn't belong with the Sohmas.  If they did manage to get home, he intended to send her away, somehow, from all of them.  He lowered his arm, oblivious to the ache in his shoulder where he might have strained something.  He still had a few rocks in hand.  Taking a deep breath, he cleared his mind of Tohru and his curse and the situation of his family.  He didn't even think about trying to outdo Yuki or how they were ever going to get home.  For the next half an hour he just threw rocks at the tree. 

When he heard a rustle of leaves in the grass some yards away, he relied on instinct, not caring if it was the instinct of a cat or a man.  He stayed stock still, eyes peering ahead, every organ of his body focused on the sound and the movement ahead until he saw a rabbit creeping around wearily in the grass, sniffing the air with a twitching nose before setting its paws in the open dirt. The rock went in the sling automatically, without thought.  He swung it overhand, behind his back and over his head with minute precision.  The rock sailed through the air without a wobbly, perfectly, striking the rabbit a killing blow on the head.  The animal crumpled on impact, without a sound, its back legs going limp as its furry body flopped to the earth.

For a minute Kyo just stared at it, surprised at the result of what he had done, but not that it had happened that way.  He knew he was going to kill the rabbit.  He knew it the moment he let the stone loose, but looking at it lying limp in the grass, he was filled with a feeling he couldn't quite describe. He should be proud he had killed it, and was proud that he had hit the target for which he aimed, but he felt shame for not being more proud of killing the thing.  After all, he was hungry and it was just a rabbit.  And yet, he found himself only able to stare at how lifeless it looked.

Belduine came up over the rise a minute later, his spear held sideways.  He had tied the pheasant he had caught earlier by the feet on one end of the haft and another pheasant just like it but a little smaller tied on the other end to balance it out.  In his other hand he held a string with a seven inch fish dangling from the end.

Kyo fetched his rabbit in silence, picking it up uncertainly by the ears.  It was a dead weight in his fist.  He was glad one blow had killed it.  He didn't think he could have hit it again.

"Fish are biting," Belduine said cheerfully.

"What did you use as a line and hook?" 

"I got the line from your house.  EC let me borrow an earring for a hook.  It didn't work as I had hoped, though.  I caught this fellow with my hands."  He grinned.  "You have to be quick."  Still smiling, he took the rabbit from Kyo and hung it upside down next to one of his pheasants by tying its legs together with a bit more string from his pocket.  "Still, it's helpful to have this stuff.  Makes carrying things easier."

Kyo grunted a sour reply.  "How much time do we have?"

"We have to get back," Belduine said.  "We can spare a little more time to clean these guys and cook them, but I want to get moving soon.  I plan to be well on our way to the city before anyone who might have been sent after us will catch up.  I laid a few false trails last night to buy us some time, but we can't stay here all morning."

The sun had risen, but it was still early.  Kyo figured everyone had slept maybe three or four hours, if that, by the time he and Belduine returned to camp with their prey.  While Belduine voluntarily settled himself on a rock to begin cleaning the animals—Kyo didn't care to watch the rabbit being skinned—Kyo began gathering dry sticks for firewood.  When he had gathered enough, he began stacking them so that there was plenty of oxygen between pieces, and then wondered how he was going to get the thing started.

Arisa woke up as he was grumbling to himself, stifling a yawn with her hand.  "Hey, Orange-Top, can you keep it down?"  She blinked rubbing her eyes.  Her face was smudged with dirt.  It was in her hair too. "What are you doing up so early?"

"Making a fire.  Do you have a lighter?" he asked, not even looking in her direction.  His sticks were arranged very prettily, but he couldn't figure out how to make a fire out of them. 

Arisa sat up. "Perhaps some kindling would be helpful first," she laughed.  "Those logs are too dense. They won't catch."  Kyo bristled, looking down at his pile of stick with indignation. "Paper would be nice," Arisa continued.  She roused herself with another yawn and rolled over to wake up Saki.  "Hey, Hana.  We need something to light on fire."

Saki listened calmly as Arisa explained. "I have one of Shigure's novels in my backpack."

"All right!" Arisa said.

"Shut up," Kyo said quietly. "You're going to wake up Tohru."

"You want to make me?" Arisa responded automatically.  She glanced at a peacefully slumbering Tohru and said more quietly, "how long have we been asleep anyway?"  She got to her feet slowly, stretching as she looked around at the forest and the plain they had to cross soon.  "I forgot where I was," she added.  "I was sure I was dreaming until I woke up." Walking over to where Kyo knelt by his pile of sticks, she began rooting in her backpack for a lighter. Saki joined them a moment later, one of Shigure's smut novels in hand, from which she calmly began ripping out the pages to tuck under the lighter pieces of wood that would serve for kindling.

"Have you read that yet?" Arisa asked.

"It's a tragic story," Saki said.  "Love doomed from the start.  He doesn't deserve her.  She's at a loss without him.  They have a passionate affair that ends when he goes to prison after killing a man to save her life.  She's left to raise his unborn child alone."

"Burn it," Kyo said soberly.

Arisa set her lighter to the papers and they watched as the pages caught and blackened instantly, curling inward at the edges.  "I can almost pretend I'm camping," Arisa said.

"Yeah," Kyo guffawed.  "_Almost_."

"What is all the racket?"

They turned to see Yuki sitting up, still looking at least half asleep with his hair tousled and his eyes half closed.  He rubbed his face tiredly, blinking as he looked around without seeming to take in anything around him clearly.

"Morning, Prince," Belduine said, approaching them from his gutting bench.  "Hungry?"

"I'm starving!" Arisa moaned.  "God, I hope that's what the fire's for."

Belduine tromped in beside Kyo with the fish he had caught cleaned and stuck on the end of a stick.  "We'll have to roast it," he said.  "I don't think anyone brought any pots or pans."  He handed the stick to Kyo and walked away to continue with the pheasants and the rabbit.  Kyo wasn't sure he wanted to know what those looked like on a stick.  Maybe they would cut up pieces to roast?  Gross!

"I suddenly feel like I've been living a really pampered life," Arisa said, looking at the fish impaled on a stick in Kyo's hand.  "But that fish looks good.  I think I could almost eat it raw."

"We're cooking it," Kyo said stubbornly.

"Where did all of this come from?" Yuki asked, glancing over at where Belduine was peeling the hide off the rabbit.  Kyo wondered if the delicate Yuki was grossed out and almost felt like joining Belduine in the skinning just to prove that he wasn't.  "Do you need help, Belduine?" Yuki asked in the next second. "I'm not much use in the kitchen, but I will do my best."

Kyo grimaced.

"Nah, I got it," Belduine said. "Thanks though."  Kyo noticed that his hands were red with the blood of gutted animals and decided he was more helpful tending the fire anyway.

"Maybe there are some edible plants around here we can add to it," Yuki said.  Kyo threw sticks onto the fire more viciously.  Did he have to try so hard to be helpful?

"You can look around," Belduine said. "But don't wander too far off or stay gone too long.  We need to eat fast and get out of here.  I wouldn't have stopped at all if it could be helped."

The others were waking as Kyo tended the fire and Yuki began scourging the surrounding area for herbs and vegetables.  Kyo wondered if Yuki could have killed a rabbit with a sling and almost brought it up that some of the food they were eating was due to his newly acquired hunting prowess, but decided against it.  He knew what Yuki would say; that he was an idiot for flaunting what he thought was manliness just because he had hit an animal with a rock.  Besides, Yuki probably would have done just as well if not better without the bragging.   Stewing inside, Kyo held his tongue.

"Oh my hair," Ayama exclaimed, waking suddenly and dashing leaves and soil away from his precious locks.  He said nothing about their situation, but merely began braiding as if that were the most important thing needing to be done this morning.  "Bring me some breakfast when it's ready, Kyo."

Kyo's back arched angrily. 

"Kyo's making breakfast?"  Kagura seemed almost perky in the woods in the morning.  She looked almost natural as she got to her knees and dusted off her dress.  "Can I help?"

"No.  Stay away from me." If he'd been a cat, Kyo's tail would have been lashing. 

"You can help me, Kagura," Belduine called.  "If you're not afraid of plucking feathers anyway.  Don't worry. I wouldn't make you do anything messier."

"Sure," Kagura said, getting to her feet and walking over to see what Belduine was doing. "Ew!" she said, and then giggled.  Kyo rolled his eyes.  Nothing could unsettle Kagura for long.  Or if it did, she would pretend otherwise.  Just as he suspected, she settled next to Belduine on his log and began plucking feathers from one of the pheasants, chatting quietly.

The noise of everyone moving around eventually awoke Tohru.  Kyo, roasting his fish beside Arisa and Saki, was able to smile a little when she opened her eyes and looked around her in some confusion.  "Mom?" she asked as she sat up, blinking around her in a daze.  "Where's my tent?"

"We're in Evermore, Tohru," Arisa said.  "Or somewhere nearby, I guess.  I'm still not too clear on the geography of this place."

Tohru blinked, looking at everyone, and then raised herself on her elbows.  "Right.  I remember."  A troubled look came over her face, her eyes reflecting light rather than radiating it as she looked inward.  

"Stop worrying," Kyo said.  "Nothing that's happened is your fault.  ."

Tohru sat up. "I'm sorry.  Can I help with anything?"

            Kyo turned back to look at his fish.  "Don't say you're sorry.  Just relax.  You'll be taken care of. "

"Oh." She blushed, looking flustered.  "I'm sorry."

"If you don't quit it, I'm going to dunk your head in the stream."

            Tohru eventually ended up helping Kagura with the pheasant.  While they worked at the birds, Belduine brought slabs of rabbit meat to Kyo wrapped in leaves. Arisa and Saki had whittled some sticks with Arisa's pocket knife and impaled the slabs of meat from Belduine to roast over the fire the way Kyo did with his fish.

            "This can't be safe," Kyo said. "Someone's going to get sick."

            "I don't care," Arisa said. "I told you.  I'd eat it raw. I think yours is done by the way."

            Kyo blinked, looking at the fish that was cooked so thoroughly it was blackened in places and almost shriveled.   Kyo pulled his stick away from the fire and tried to touch the fish, but it was so hot it burned his fingers. 

            "Stupid cat."

He bristled at the voice before he turned.

"Are you just going to eat it yourself?"

            Yuki's accusatory glare was more annoying than the herbs and roots he had gathered in one arm.  He knelt gracefully next to Arisa and began to sort his find.  It looked edible.  It was certainly better than meat on a stick.  Kyo glared at his fish, not sure what to do with it now.  He had been going to eat it—it was the best of the lot in his opinion, and he was starving—but Yuki had to be all generous about it and now he didn't know who to offer it to.

            "Akito?" Yuki asked, peering over Kyo's shoulder at the only remaining person still lying on the ground.  "Are you awake?  Are you hungry?"

            Kyo tried to relax his grip and smooth his expression. 

            The mound on the ground that was Akito did not move. At some point Ayame had moved near Akito and was now looking down at him curiously.  Akito had his back turned to Ayame, seeming to ignore him as if he didn't exist.  After a few moments of peering at his face, Ayame sighed dramatically, tossing his now-braided hair over his shoulder.

            "Oh, he's awake, Yuki," Ayame told them volubly.  "He's ignoring me, and I hate that!  He doesn't look too good, though.  I wish Hatori were here!  I'm really no good at waiting on people!"

            Akito hunched his shoulders, wrapping himself tighter in his kimono.  "I don't want anything prepared by that monster," he said quietly without looking at them.  "I don't want anything that hasn't been specially prepared for me."

            Everyone quieted. Akito's hushed tones seemed to dampen even the sunshine.  Kyo dropped his eyes, trying to blot out the sounds around him in the present in hopes of somehow erasing or ignoring the words that Akito had spoken.  He could pretend he was not fazed.

            "Akito, you need to eat something," Yuki pressed.  "We have a long way to travel and Belduine has been good enough to find something to tide us over until we can rest some place better."

            Belduine had brought the birds over to the fire while they were talking, wisely staying silent as his name was mentioned.  Kyo silently helped him stuff the birds with the plants and roots Yuki had found and set them over the fire the way they had the fish and rabbit, both of them working similarly to be ignored.

            Kyo felt Akito's eyes on them, but no one said anything.

            "This one's about done," Arisa said brusquely, ignoring Akito and the tension he had caused as if he didn't exist or didn't matter.  She pointed to one of the rabbit kabobs on her stick.  Saki calmly removed it, not seeming to notice how hot it was, and handed it to Belduine on a leaf with such an expectant, blank expression one would think it was a gourmet dish he should be proud to accept.

            Belduine took the bit of rabbit with a grin and a bow. "Thanks, EC."

            "I thought you might be hungry," Saki murmured. "Since you didn't eat yesterday."

            The silence broken, everyone who had stopped to hear Akito speak went back to what they were doing as if they had not been interrupted, though with less cheerfulness. Akito turned away, sinking into silence and refusing to look at any of them.

            "I'm going to go wash up," Belduine told everyone suddenly, standing in the middle of the group and clearing his throat for attention.  "We can't stay here so eat as soon as it's ready and pack up anything you need.  We have to be gone from this place."

            They ate in silence.  Kyo even ended up with most of the fish.  He tried to press it on Tohru but ended up sharing it with Kagura.   The birds were actually good—Yuki's seasoning helped—but Kyo couldn't help feeling like a savage in a savage land after roasting dead animals on sticks over a fire and licking their fingers afterwards.  He never realized how accustomed he was to plastic bottles and shrink wrapped food until forced to forage for himself.  Yet everyone ate ravenously, and gratefully, even Akito after it became clear that there was nothing else to be had.   But Akito ate well away from the rest of them, nibbling at his food with furtive looks in their direction, hunched in on himself and brooding.  He really didn't look good.

            As they ate, Kyo didn't tell anyone where the food had come from.  He had given back the sling he had borrowed from Belduine, but watching Tohru devour the rabbit he had killed as if she were starving, he supposed he would use it again tomorrow morning.  And the next day, and for however long they would be traveling in the wilderness.   But he didn't want them to know.  For one thing, he didn't think they would praise him for it, and it would be easier to do if he wasn't expecting praise. 

He was thinking about these things when everything green in their campsite—the leaves, the grass, the weeds—began to glow with a soft, green light.  Kyo's hackles rose.

            "What the hell?" Arisa said.  "What now?  More fairy lights?  What is this?"

            She, Tohru and Saki had been packing the bags, but they stopped and straightened when their campsite suddenly looked as if it were underwater in a sunlit lagoon.  A crash in the bushes announced Belduine's return.  They all whirled to see Belduine leaping over brush and bracken at a mad dash, leaping over fallen rocks and rocks with reflex agility, much like the deer he had chased away from the stream earlier.  He grabbed his spear from the log he had leaned it against without slowing, pivoted on one foot, and kicked dirt over Kyo's fire.

            "They're coming," he said, breathing hard. "Get moving."

            "Who?" Yuki asked.  "Have we been found?"

 Belduine's hands and arms were clean now, but the look in his eyes was intense and slightly wild.  He looked more dangerous than he had when covered with blood.  "One of my alarms has been tripped."

"Oh. Like magic booby traps?" Tohru asked in her modest, meek tones.

"When did you set that up?" Kagura piped from her knees beside Tohru.

Striding toward where the girls knelt, Belduine did not answer their questions.  He seemed to forget to flirt with them.  Kyo wasn't even sure he heard. "We need to go _now_. Start walking.  Kyo!"  Kyo whipped his head around as Belduine hauled both Tohru and Kagura to their feet by the elbows and shoved both girls at him.  "Take them all to the river. Follow it into the woods and don't stop.  Beyond this forest there's a safe house.  We should be able to reach it by nightfall.  We'll make it if we keep moving."  He turned away, standing on his toes to look up at the trees where a flock of birds had risen in the air.  There was a moment of silence before he looked back over his shoulder at them. "Go on!" 

            Kyo rose and hustled Tohru and Kagura out toward the plains.  The others followed, even Akito, though he moved with difficulty, looking frail as Yuki helped Akito to his feet after Ayame's help had been slapped away.  The rat looked calm, calmer than Kyo felt, but he gritted his teeth and concentrated on getting the girls moving toward safety.

            Belduine turned back the other way, away from them toward the woods.

            "What's he doing?" Arisa demanded as she adjusted her backpack on her shoulders and helped Saki to her feet.

            "How should I know?" Kyo demanded. 

            "Perhaps covering our trail?" Kagura suggested.

            "Perhaps," Saki murmured.  She didn't sound worried, and she hurried without seeming to, keeping pace with the others.

            "We can hope," Kyo muttered to himself.

They broke out of the trees as a group, sunlight flashing in their eyes as Kyo guided them through the grass and lumpy ground.  The plains stretched ahead of them, hundreds of meters of open space leading to another forest beyond.  Kyo followed the path Belduine had showed him before, trying to keep hidden as much as possible, though most the hills were not large enough to hide a group of so many people. 

"How far ahead is it?" Yuki demanded.  "How far do we have to travel in the open like this?"

Kyo blinked, wondering where Yuki had come from and annoyed as soon as he noticed.  Why did he always have to be in the front leading everybody?  Why couldn't he just stay in the back for once and take care of Akito?  Turning his head, he saw Ayame guiding Akito, but Akito did not appear to be enthusiastic about this arrangement.  He ignored Ayame as if he were a fly buzzing in his ear, walking on his own with his kimono wrapped tightly around his body, not meeting anyone's eyes.

"We should cut across to the left," Yuki said with a gesture.  "The shadows the smaller hills make will cover us."

Kyo glanced at Yuki sideways.  "Yeah, that's the way to the river.  I don't need your help."

He wasn't sure why he said it.  Maybe it was just because it was Yuki.  The way Yuki's eyes narrowed contemptuously was satisfying.  The tone the rat used was so condescending and self-righteous. Yuki thought he was better than everyone.  Well let him think it.  Yuki's cold arrogance was enough to make him do a lot of things he wouldn't normally do.  Maybe it was spiteful, but he didn't care.  He didn't even care if Yuki thought he was selfish for carrying on their feud at a time like this.  Let him think that if he wanted to.

"Kyo?"

Kyo turned at the sound of Tohru's trembling voice.

"Are we going to be caught like the others?"

Giving Kyo a reproachful stare, Yuki fell back a pace, his expression softening into a reassuring smile for Tohru.  "We're free now so we can rescue them," Yuki told her.  "And we'll stay free no matter what it takes."

Tohru didn't say anything, but Kyo could feel the worry from her like an itch on his skin.

Kyo opened his mouth to say something when Belduine appeared beside them suddenly.  He must have run to catch up; he was breathing heavily. "Don't worry," he said with a grin.  "I left a few surprises to slow them down."  He gulped in air, his shorter legs making longer strides than the rest of them.  Kyo frowned, looking past the grin to notice suddenly how exhausted Belduine looked.  He wondered if doing magic took energy, and if so, how much, especially for a mediocre magician.

"Are they following us?" Yuki asked.

Belduine nodded.  "Yeah, but they're a ways back, and only hunters.  There are no magicians with them, so my work might come in useful.  That's fortunate, but we have to keep moving."

"Will there ever be any rest?" Yuki asked. "We can't make the girls run like this forever.  And it's not helping the others."

Belduine was quiet.  "No, we won't run forever.  When we get to the city…"  He frowned.  "Well let's get there first.  Come on.  I want to get off this plain."

When Belduine quickened his pace to a run, they followed.

Momiji remembered little of the details during the two-day trip from the prison cells to Evermore.  His head hurt so much it was an effort just to stay awake, but he reminded himself to keep his spirits up.  Even captured, perhaps they could escape, or if not escape, do something to aid their going home soon.

Just after the others escaped and riots broke out through their temporary prisons in Cabadan, the Juunishi left behind were loaded into separate wagons like animals in cages.  The magicians came for them one by one, sweeping through the halls in a billow of cloaks, collecting prisoners as they went.  They pursed their lips when they came across the empty cells, but nothing was said in Momiji's hearing.  He could only be glad that some had escaped.  And for a brief spell he had seen Rin and Haru, Kisa and Momiji, Shigure and Hatori, Ritsu and Kureno as they were lined up under guard and later prodded into separate wagons.  Shigure's presence surprised him at first, but then he thought about it and could only smile.  They had all looked at one another for reassurance and comfort to the exclusions of everyone else in such a way that Momiji felt a flare of hope he had never felt before.  They were a family.  Before anything else, they were that.

The ride through the pass in the mountains was bumpy, cold and uncomfortable, but otherwise unremarkable.  Their tiny wagons were pulled by horses and each had a window or two for looking out.  Momiji spent a lot of the time looking out the window, taking comfort in the scenery and taking note of their surroundings.  As near as he could tell, the train was surrounded by soldiers, all on horseback; soldiers in armor that looked straight of the old stories Momiji had read growing up.  Magicians also mingled among them, hooded and hidden in their robes, even their hands. They passed by in groups, weaving in and out among the wagons, keeping to themselves for the most part, but he heard them whispering to one another from time to time…

He could even understand it if they came close enough.  That one fellow—he had heard him called Ranlath—had traveled with the group and had made sure they could all understand, though no one seemed to know how he did it.  He did not ride with the other magicians, seemingly ostracized from them, unless he chose it that way.  He did not ride with the soldiers either, nor with the wagons…  Whenever Momiji saw him, he was by himself, somewhere off to the side, though occasionally he would ride backward through the train of wagons, oblivious to the curses of the wagon drivers who, muttering irritably under his breath. 

The Juunishi were ignored.  Momiji stood by the window, but he couldn't see those he loved. Sometimes he caught a glimpse of the wagon in front of him or the one behind when the train turned a corner, but he never saw more than a corner or a side panel and he didn't know whose wagon he was looking at.  He comforted himself by staring out at the landscape. Their road climbed up into the mountains and through a pass blanketed with trees. Occasionally the wagons would hug the mountain where a sharp drop on the other side uncovered the mist-strewn valleys below, endless dark forest seeming to hide a thousand mysteries.  It reminded Momiji of his Traveler story and he wondered if there were demon creatures down there among the trees that would eat his body whether he allowed them to or not.  If so, he wondered if they were nicer than some of the humans around him, those who put other people in cages as if they were animals. 

"I'm not an animal," he whispered to himself, leaning his head against the bars over his window. "I'm not."

 But he was becoming less and less sure of that. 

The wagon train descended into the valleys on the second day.  The trees below became trees all around, seeming to rise up as they followed the road down, thick trunks and twisting limbs tangling together until the view out Momiji's window was obscured by shadows. But he also saw flowers, and insects, sometimes in bright, unexpected colors; blues and purples and soft yellows that gave the scenery a mystical, unnatural feel.  The deeper they traveled into the trees, the more he felt the presence of the forest pushing in around him, as if every leaf had eyes and they were all watching in guarded silence.  Deeper still, the colors seemed to take on a peculiar sheen, as if ready to glow as soon as no one was watching.  He felt he could taste the air, a sweet, succulent flavor of something saturated and overripe. 

He knew they were in Evermore.

Gradually he became aware of sounds not of a forest.  They were the sounds of people moving about, quietly, as if afraid to disturb the atmosphere around them, but the whispers of voices and the soft rustle of clothing was distinctly familiar.  Momiji hung onto the bars on his window, standing on his toes in hopes of seeing Evermore, perhaps even the Esper.  Just as he thought he was about to have his first glimpse of Evermore, his view through the window became only a view of a dark wall.  He took a step back in his wagon, wondering if they had entered a cave or a dense wood or even some sort of building.  He watched the wall moving past him and though it looked like rock, though he didn't know what kind.  Then the motion of the train stopped.

The door was flung open.

"Get out."

Momiji climbed out as he was bid, dusting off his clothes and blinking as his eyes absorbed what little light there was in what looked like the entrance to an underground tunnel.  It wasn't a shallow tunnel either.  Looking back, he could see that it was long enough to enclose all of the wagons with their horses.  He stood shivering on the ground, wigging his toes in his shoes as he watched anxiously for the other Sohmas to be released from their cages.  He saw Haru emerge from the wagon behind him and Kureno from the wagon in front.  Neither spoke or said anything, but their eyes drifted toward one another again; both Haru and Kureno looked lost.  Hiro stood behind Haru with his arms folded over his chest as Shigure led Kisa to the front by the hand. Ritsu trailed behind Shigure, starting at every sound and glance in his direction.  Rin came last, led by nobody, her eyes skimming past Haru to observe the magicians and the gigantic door beyond them.

Soldiers were already leading the horses away while the Juunishi walked up toward the front of their own will, conscious of the magicians closing silently in behind them but forced to ignore them like ghosts.  No one protested or spoke.   The presence of so many magicians, their faces covered and their hands wrapped in cloth, was too much of an ominous threat. Ahead of them the gigantic wooden door stood like a gateway into hell, gilded in yellow gold with red trimming, heavy and insurmountable.  In front of it, in an alcove just off to the side, a tall woman dressed in brown leather sat in a chair with her booted feet propped up on the desk, a lazy look in her eyes as she watched them approach.  When they stopped before her, clustered together like sheep in a pen, a small smile touched her lips.

"Nine," was all she said.

Hatori put a steady hand on Momiji's shoulder.  It calmed his trembling.  "How's your head?" he whispered through the side of his mouth.

"I'll be all right, Hari."

The woman grimaced.  "And five more remain.  Where is the Arch Wizard?  Does Master Azaren offer an explanation?  I suppose the senior magicians are too important for such matters as this." 

The magicians stood in a silent half circle several paces behind and around them, hands folded and eerily silent.  Momiji looked behind him, searching for the wizard who supposedly stood above all the others, but didn't see him.  In fact, neither Azaren nor Ranlath remained among those left to supervise their entrance into the Holdings.  Momiji felt a pang of despair quench the fire for life in his heart.  They were slaves.  They were no longer important.

 The woman behind the desk said turned her gaze to each of them, assessing one after the next.  Her hair was long and blonde, almost to her waist, and there was a youthfulness to her face that was at odds with the maturity in her eyes.  Momiji had the feeling he was looking at someone with a lot of experiences, many of them bad.  It made him almost sad to look at her. She smiled in a way that made Momiji shiver. "Welcome to Evermore," she said. Though she smiled, it was a smirk that didn't touch her eyes.  "If you have any questions, ask them now.  You will never stand in this place again."

"Who are you?"  Rin's voice was cool to the point of freezing, cutting the silence sharply. "What are you going to do with us?"

Momiji turned to look at her with interest.  Rin stood tall and proud in the middle of the group, her eyes locking with the blonde woman's, her body stiff as a board, hands clenched at her sides.  Momiji had often noticed defiance in Rin before, an angry strength deeply rooted in her soul that was sometimes shivered under strain.  With a mysterious flicker of her eyes that could have meant anything, the woman behind the desk turned her attention to all of them.

"My name is Mel, but you may call me Gatekeeper," she said with a commanding, cold presence.  "If you thought I was the Esper a some have before you, think again.  I'm a mercenary paid to guard this gate.  When you enter here, you enter the Holdings of Evermore.   You will be separated into groups, male and female, and given quarters such as you need. You will work.  Some do not find life here altogether unpleasant.  You may converse with other prisoners, the hired staff and the handmaidens, but I advise not to speak to authorities unless you are spoken to. You are not to leave the grounds.  To ensure this, you will be heavily guarded.  There are also magical barriers surrounding this place that will prevent your leaving the compound; you can walk forever in this forest and only end up where you began.  If you are caught trying to escape, you will be punished.  In your life here, you will be expected to obey your authorities immediately and without question.  Failure to comply with any of these rules will result in loss of privileges, such as freedom to move about, to speak, or anything your guards think you do not need.  I know some prisoners who have lost hands and tongues because they were determined not to be useful.  Insolence will also be punished.  Obey the rules and serve as you are bidden; if you do, no lasting harm will come to you.  Are there any further questions?"

"Will we meet this… Esper?" Shigure asked, and smiled charmingly.  "If I may ask, what is our relationship to her?"

Mel eyed him for a moment as if considering his question from several angles.  "The Esper is a strange creature.  She keeps mostly to the Heart of the Glen.  .  Sometimes she will ask for the presence of a Cursed One for reasons of her own, but she has all she needs with the proximity of those in the Holdings.  Everything in Evermore belongs to her. Should you be summoned to her, you will be wise to keep silent and do exactly as you are told."

"And the magicians?" Shigure asked.

Mel smiled a small, twisted smile.  "Be careful how many questions you ask.  Azaren is master of the magicians.  The magicians serve the Esper.  The Esper is master of Evermore.  All are master to you.  Obey them all as you would God and you will not incur their displeasure.  It is unlikely they will interact with you after this unless you are summoned for punishment or show some special promise. Though some magicians have aids or will take handmaidens from among the servants, it is not often they take them from among the Cursed."

When no one said anything else, Mel rose from her chair and moved out from behind the desk to operate some hidden switch on the wall.  Momiji tried to catch a glimpse of the device, but couldn't clearly see the wall in the alcove.

"I've heard that you are only half of a group the Esper desired for the Holdings," Mel said as the door swung open.  "I wouldn't hang my hopes on rescue."

Haru was the first to walk through the door, seeming unconcerned by anything around him and looking more lost than anything else.  Rin followed on his heels, her lips pursed tightly together.  Hari and Shigure passed a look between them as Kisa and Hiro walked in with Kureno, Momiji and Ritsu.  Momiji wondered if Shigure was planning anything, or if Hatori was.  Mel did not follow them through the tunnel.  Once the last of the Juunishi stepped through, the door closed behind them with a dull, echoing boom. 

On the other side of the door, another woman and half a dozen men dressed in gray lined with green trim stood awaiting them.  Near the wall, almost unnoticeable because of their abject posture, two more women knelt with their heads down and hands folded on their laps, though these were dressed in elaborate robes, almost like Geisha.  The woman standing in front of the men clearly led the whole group.  She was older than the girls kneeling and exhibiting more facial expression.  Like the men, she was also dressed in gray with only a gray handkerchief to tie her hair back and a green apron over her skirt.  She was more than plump, with meaty hands and a double chin, but she smiled when she saw them, her face crinkling pleasantly.  "I see you've maid it" the woman said with a chipper tone, as if they were vacationing at a resort.  "I am head of the staff.  I manage things around here, including you. You may call me Mistress Lyn.  At this time, you will be separated into two groups: male and female.  The quarters are separated and for practical reasons, you will never be allowed to cross one to the other.  You may take this time to say your goodbyes before you are shown to your cells."

There was a hushed silence.  Momiji's heart filled with misery as he looked at Kisa and Rin, wondering what was to become of them in a place like this, wondering if he would ever see them again.  Kisa looked bewildered at first, clutching Hiro's hands while flinging an appealing gaze to Shigure and Hatori, who only looked back sympathetically.  Hiro's face was an expression of helplessness and self-torture as Kisa began to cry silently, tears flowing down her cheeks however she tried to smile and sash it off.  Hiro opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out.  He took her hand, holding her fingers, fighting to speak.  "Kisa, I'll do something… I…" But whether he could think of nothing to say or didn't want to say it with everyone watching, nothing more came out.  Hiro's cheeks burned red as he dropped her hand and took her instead by the shoulders, holding her close and comforting her by smoothing her hair.

"Don't worry," Shigure whispered, and then more quietly to himself, "Que sara sara."  Hatori's look in his direction was difficult to interpret.  Kureno and Ritsu said nothing.

"Haru," Rin whispered.  Her eyes met Haru's with a sudden burst of anguish that she tried to mask and failed. 

In front of everyone, Haru stepped in to hug her, his expression soft, but troubled.  Her body stiffened at first, eyes starring straight ahead, but then she softened, closing her eyes to hide the pain in them.  If they said anything to one another, Momiji couldn't hear it.  Shigure and Hatori politely averted their gaze, as if they had no idea what was going on between them, though Momiji suspected they knew and had known, possibly for a long time.

"Have hope," Momiji said encouragingly.  "Everything will be fine.  We'll be together again. You'll see."

Mistress Lyn watched the couples embrace passively, but to Momiji she gave a sad, tired stare. "All right," she said after a moment, clapping her hands and pulling Rin away from Haru and Kisa away from Hiro.  "You six will follow the men," she said briskly, "and you three girls will come with me."

_Three?_  Momiji blinked, confused for a moment by the numbering, but didn't have time to say anything as the soldiers behind Mistress Lyn took one male each with a glance and gesture.  Momiji's feet moved when he was called, for though his mind protested separating on an instinctual level, he could think of nothing else to do. 

"My, you are tall," Mistress Lyn was saying to Ritsu.  "Come on now, my dear girl.  Don't look so stricken." Momiji saw the two women kneeling by the wall rise soundlessly and approach Mistress Lyn as she waved a hand at them.  "Just follow the handmaidens. They will show you where you will live from here on out."

"I'm sorry," Ritsu breathed quietly.  "I don't mean to be out of line, but I…"  He failed after a few blushing attempts to speak.  His eyes followed Momiji and the others desperately.  Shigure glanced back, catching his gaze, but said nothing.  A little smirk appeared on his face.

"I…" Ritsu began again, seeming to summon up the last ounce of his courage.

Rin laid a hand on his arm and he quieted, flushing to his hairline.  Her expression was blank, but a storm of thought raged in her eyes as she stared after Shigure. Ritsu closed his mouth.

_Don't get in trouble, Rin, _Momiji thought, and wondered why Shigure smirked.__

After a moment, Momiji couldn't see Rin, Kisa and Ritsu anymore.  He willed himself to stop looking back.

The Holdings of the Esper reminded Momiji of an underground marketplace or subway station.  The number of people increased the farther they walked, bustling on various errands, though there was little noise in the tunnels.  They were in a set of underground catacombs, wide tunnels like alleyways opening into rooms filled with furniture, items, laundry, food, even weapons, though those were gated and locked.  There were intersections where people gathered or worked in groups, tables for making things or doing chores.   Momiji saw mostly men.  He identified the staff by their gray apparel lined with green, the soldiers by the weapons they carried.  He assumed everyone else was a prisoner.  Occasionally he saw more of the women that reminded him of Geisha.  Their hair and robes were not the same, and their expressions were dead rather than pleasant, but the style and mannerisms were reminiscent of Geisha ways.  He never saw any of them speak, nor look anyone in the eye.  Their eyes looked…empty, as if they had never had hopes or dreams or even memories on which to live.  He shivered and rubbed his arms at the thought.

 They were led to rooms that were little more than the cells they had had in Cabadan.  The walls were blank stone or dirt with something resembling a bed on the floor in the corner.    Hatori and Shigure were lodged further down the hall, and Hiro and Haru across from Momiji.  He didn't see where Kureno ended up, but at least they were all near one another.

The man who showed him to his cell did not speak until Momiji was inside it.   "You are one of the Cursed," he said.  "So do not think your movements here are free. You may move about in this area, between your room here, the lavatory, and the other cells in this wing, but you are not to wander the Holdings unless assigned to a task. If you do, you will be locked in your room with a bucket and fed through a hole that will be drilled in your door.  Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes," Momiji said with a swallow, and lowered his eyes instinctively.  Because Mistress Lyn seemed nice, he had hoped everyone would be.

"You spend tonight in contemplation.  Tomorrow you will begin your tasks."

With that, his door was shut, cutting off the faces of Hiro and Haru receiving similar lectures.

Only once the door was closed and he felt alone did Momiji allow himself to cry.

            "Show less attitude, girl," Mistress Lyn quipped.  "Unless you want the magicians to make a handmaiden out of you, I suggest covering up a bit more too."

            Rin ran a hand along one of her dark tresses, coolly observing her surroundings and ignoring the woman's remark on her modesty.  The place was lighted in a way she couldn't puzzle out.  There were no torches on the walls and nothing close to electricity, yet everything was lit with a soft yellow glow.  It was truly a strange place.

            Kisa walked along close beside her, Ritsu trailing behind, but she paid either of them little attention.  How were they going to get out of this mess?

            Mistress Lyn sighed.  "You'll learn to trust me soon enough," she said.  "It's terrible the way your kind is treated, the Cursed, I mean, but it's not my decision and not in my power to change it, so I do what I must.  It's especially a shame with pretty young things like yourself are brought down to these holes to rot their lives away.  You have feelings for that young men, do you not?"

            Rin was offended and annoyed by the intrusiveness of this woman, and wary of her self-appointment as someone she could trust.  She was probably a spy for somebody with that kind of forwardness, but Rin was smart enough to know that a known spy could be an asset, and there was always the possibility that the woman was telling the truth.  No need to be rude without reason.

            "I've never been in a position where my curse was known by anyone outside the family," she said glibly, ignoring the woman's question about Haru and dismissing Tohru as an exception to family.  She was used to keeping Haru a secret.  No need to bring up Tohru at all.  The thought brought up a twinge of worry. Though she would cut off her own arm before she would admit it, she hoped all of the others were doing all right.  What she said aloud was, "I think treating anyone this way is terrible."

            Mistress Lyn gave her a quiet, assessing stare.  "Well, you may be right.  Since the magicians began looking outside the nations for more to feed the Esper's appetite, the Holdings have been harder to manage. At least people around here know what will happen to them if they're cursed.  For you, this must have been quiet a shock.  I'm afraid it's not possible to give you time and leniency to adjust, but sometimes it's best to forget your old life as soon as possible and integrate quickly."

            "My old life was nothing like this," Rin said.  "Nothing at all like this.  It's not so much as an adjustment as beginning over anew."  Was it better in a way?  Here she had freedom from Akito, freedom for the secrecy of her ailment, and it was a relief in some ways.   She didn't miss school, or her parents, or anything much about her old life yet.  Here her body was contained, shackled to whatever cell she was assigned, but her spirit felt lighter, as if a darkness in her soul had been aired.  Here, she could admit to what she was.  And yet, she did not think it was better.  She wanted real freedom, not a tradeoff, and she wanted Haru… There had to be a way around that.  There had to be a way out of this place all together, if they were patient enough and believed enough.  She would need to be able to talk to the others if they were going to formulate any kind of plan.  She needed to know more about this place.

She should keep this woman talking.

"Why are the men and women separated?" she asked.

            "It's that or undergo the knife," Mistress Lyn said with surprising casualty.  She seemed pleased to converse, for which Rin was grateful, though she wondered if the lax security was a bad sign for her.  "We can't have any babies being born in the Holdings," Mistress Lyn explained, "especially not by Cursed prisoners, or not if it isn't planned anyway.  The only women allowed around men here are handmaidens, or those who can not have children.  I myself am barren.  I was born that way and it is also the reason I was not able to marry, but luckily, it is also one of the requirements for this job."

            "Can the handmaidens have children?" Rin asked.  She eyed the two women escorting Kisa and Ritsu without drawing their attention.  "Or are they just for pleasure?"

            The handmaidens traveling with them were odd to say the least.  They said nothing, looked no one in the eye, and moved silently, as if they were ghosts or puppets without souls.  Rin did not think she had offended them with her question.  She was only half sure they really heard the conversation at all.  There was something strange about them.

            "Some can," Mistress Lyn replied.  "Many were born here actually.  The best of them, depending on what you mean by best.  They are not just for pleasure.  Perhaps the reason there are so many of them is because of that, but their primary purpose is for the Esper.  I'm not sure exactly what she does with them, but every once and awhile one of my girls disappears.  In a way, it's nice that they keep them completely servile and uneducated. It makes it easier to forget about them when they go, but I can't say I really like it.  Poor girls."

            Rin tried not to look surprised.  _They disappear_?  She wasn't sure she really wanted to know the details.  And yet, if there was a crack anywhere in this system… She needed to know everything.

            "They do other things too," Mistress Lyn added, as if she knew her comment was upsetting.  "Some are trained in cooking or medicine or such tasks as are needed in a place like this. We have a few girls who would do well in the world if they were not handmaidens, in places where women are allowed to practice such crafts at least.  Some are hired out as servants in the surrounding kingdoms, especially if they come to be more educated than is useful here. Those we sell go for high prices."

            The handmaidens who slowed them to their cells did not speak, leaving Mistress Lyn to explain the rules of their confinement.  Rin listened blankly.  None of the rules fazed her half so much as the culture.  She knew she was a prisoner in a penitentiary.  If this place was more relaxed on some points, it was harder on others.  It didn't change anything.  If she wanted to escape badly enough, she would find a way to do it, just as she would find a way to break the curse.  She could even say she preferred this to running and hiding.  At least she would be able to move around a little and investigate her options.  She would work something out. 

            When Mistress Lyn finished, her cell door was shut and Rin was left alone.  Laying on the thin excuse for a mattress that had been laid out on the floor for her to sleep on—like a mat for a dog, she thought bitterly—she rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling.  Perhaps it was useless to try and do anything…

            The quiet knock on her door surprised her, but she sat up.  "Come in."

            The door opened and Kisa peeked inside, shyly hiding behind the rest of the door.  She looked lost and defenseless, a good girl in a bad place.  Normally Rin despised good girls, people who were too weak or brainwashed to challenge authority, but she didn't hate Kisa.   She was family after all.  Besides, Haru was fond of her and Rin was aware through him that Kisa had had social problems in school that resulted in an ever-increasing meekness.  Even so, Kisa had never before come to Rin for reassurance or advice.  To see her now was a bit of surprise, but it was only evidence of how helpless and alone the girl must feel.

            Rin forcibly softened her expression and held out a welcoming hand, not sure how motherly or sisterly she could possibly look.  She knew she wasn't much of the comforting type, but Kisa came forward as if led by a string.  Without hesitation or regard for what kind of person Rin might be, Kisa threw her arms around Rin's neck, heaving dry sobs of fear and remorse and loneliness.  Awkwardly at first, Rin stroked the strawberry blonde hair and then hugged her younger cousin close the way Haru would have in her place.  Only slowly did she feel the contentment of the physical contact, holding Kisa as tightly as Kisa was holding her, racking her brain for a way to save them all.

            It wasn't long before she walked out of her cell with Kisa in hand to knock on Ritsu's door, her expression grim and her will settled on a determined course of action.

            "Y..yes?" came a timid, woeful voice.

            Rin pushed open the door, brought Kisa in with her, and shut all three of them in privacy.  "If you're willing to take a risk and do something a little brave and probably stupid, I might have a plan."

Thank you to reviewers!!!  I will thank you all personally as soon as I can, but fanfiction.net wasn't allowing me to look at reviews right now.  blushes  I'm very sorry!  I will remedy. 


	16. Announcement and partial chapter

Hey, everybody.

It's been a very long time since I updated this story and I've been getting some feedback on it recently, so I'm here to make an announcement!

I like the idea for the story so I WILL continue it, but not until I finish one of my other stories and have less on my plate. My real life responsibilities are too much too handle right now when I also have three stories in the works and I am updating _everything_ too slowly. However, one of my other stories IS close to being finished, so Evermore should be back on my "to do list" within a few months (wow, is that a _short_ time?)

I appreciate everyone who has maintained an interest in this story.

As a side note, I was inspired to reminisce on this fic because I just finished a short story featuring Belduine. I wrote the story in a hopes of being admitted to an advanced short story class that is competitive and for which I do not have the appropriate perquisite class. Therefore, if anybody is interested in reading a short story about Belduine, I can direct them to my author's file (Zapenstap) on fictionpress and the title The Boardwalk Dancer. I would include a link, but this site does not allow them.

And now, because I hate it when other authors upload "non chapters" I will include the partial part of the "next chapter" that I wrote eons ago and never finished. Be forewarned, this is not edited and not complete, and when I do upload the "real" next chapter, this much of the story will appear again with more added to it and editing, etc.

Everybody clear? Thank you for your patience!

Evermore

Chapter 16 (Part One)

By Zapenstap

Yuki shook the leaves from the soles of his shoes and paused at the front of the line to look over the bedraggled group. Rain had been drizzling for over an hour. The trees weren't dense enough to block the steady downfall and the clothes of those who had escaped from the prisons of Cabadan were soaked through. Trudging through a muddy forest floor with a lack of a clear trail made it feel as if they were wandering in endless circles.

"How much farther _is_ it?" Kyo muttered, stopping after he trudged up the short slope that separated Yuki from the others. He shook mud from his shoes but it didn't do much good. He was splattered with mud from a nasty fall he took just after the sun went down and it became difficult to see. That was hours ago. They had been traveling all day and a good deal of the night.

"Belduine said it wasn't far not too long ago," Kagura said from just ahead of Yuki, her hands clasped behind her and a tired smile on her face. Her brown boots were ruined, but they probably kept her feet dry and the scarf she wore around her neck was now holding her damp hair back from her face. Surprisingly, Kagura seemed to be holding up better than the rest of them. Perhaps mountains and mud were just in her blood, as part of the boar's spirit that cursed her.

"We need to find shelter," Kyo grumbled. "Where the hell is that kid?"

"I _think_ he's just up ahead," Kagura said, peering into the darkness. "I don't know. I haven't seen him for awhile."

Yuki watched Uo and Hana support Tohru as the three of them negotiated a path through one of the larger mud puddles, but his real attention was on Akito, floundering on Ayame's arm. Akito had been silent for hours now, not even bothering to try and appear strong, seemingly on the verge of collapse with every step. Ayame didn't look terrifically better. He was shivering in his robes.

"I probably don't look so good either," Yuki muttered to himself.

"Like a drowned rat," Arisa said as she, Tohru and Hana joined Kyo. "Why are we stopping?"

"We lost Belduine," Yuki replied.

Arisa pushed forward, pulling her shoes out the mud and passing Yuki on the right. "Well, let's not stop. I fear if I stop, I might fall down." She flung a sopping blonde strand of hair out of her face as she kept walking. Tohru and Hana followed behind her. "There had better be feather beds and hot showers at this rest stop."

"I'd settle for a dry floor," Kyo said.

"I think Belduine went this way," Kagura said, and turned on her heel, trotting ahead.

Yuki let Kagura lead the way, waiting for Ayame and Akito to struggle up behind the others before he began moving again himself. Akito's head was bowed, black hair dripping and arms hugging his wet robes tightly around his slender body. Ayame looked worn down, walking by Akito's elbow, helping him—silently—whenever he stumbled. As they passed Yuki, Akito looked up.

Yuki felt a chill creep down in back in the baleful glare of those auger eyes, but he refused to react and Akito was evidently too tired to complain or make any snide, jibing remarks. He merely managed to look wounded, as if this whole affair was Yuki's fault, designed specifically to make Akito miserable. Not long after that, Akito pushed Ayame away again, trudging along behind the others alone, muddy robes wrapped around his slender body.

"_Yuki_, I can't take much more of this," Ayame complained as soon as Akito was ahead of them and out of earshot. "Not only Akito, but the rain and the mud and the… outdoors." He made a little shudder. "My hair must look like a goat's!"

"At least we're free," Yuki replied.

"Yuki!"

It was Kagura's voice, carrying like that of a piping bird through the rain. She didn't sound panicked, but Yuki hurried anyway, running to catch up with Ayame trotting clumsily behind him. They passed Akito without stopping, not noticing him stop in the mud to watch them race ahead.

Kagura had found Belduine, it seemed, and for the first time since the rain came and light faded, Yuki felt a flare of hope.

Belduine was carrying a lantern, glowing like a golden beacon in the night, and had on a cloak that shielded his entire body and head from the rain. Yet he held the lantern high enough to light his face, and the glitter in his eye was promising.

Belduine waited until everyone had gathered close enough to see him, holding up the lantern to identify each of their faces. They all waited for Akito, who joined them slowly and grudgingly, motivated from the wet and the cold and the false warmth of apathy by the promise of real warmth and a dry place to sleep.

"There's shelter up ahead," Belduine said when they could all hear them, and didn't bother to explain further.

They followed him through another row of trees that gradually came to look like a path. It grew wider as they walked, a dirt road flanked by trees on either side. The trees were tall and forbidding, like walls on either side with knobby, far reaching arms that blotted out the sky and narrowed their path. And the road was all the creepier for being only partially civilized in an otherwise wild territory. But Yuki would have walked through hell's mouth for a bit of dry space.

They walked in the middle of the road huddled in a group, keeping to the center and their eyes straight ahead as much as possible until they saw the welcoming warmth of lighted windows gleaming in the distance. Yuki didn't think he had ever seen a sight more welcoming. Unconsciously, he quickened his pace.

"What kind of a place is this?" Tohru voiced weakly.

Belduine took off his cloak and threw it over Tohru's head, adjusting it around her face to make sure it was keeping the rain off her hair. She seemed to bone weary to react. "It's the home of a monk named Fren. He copies manuscripts out here by himself, but he's opened his chapel to passing travelers and he's given me a break before. Old Fren keeps your business confidential so we should be relatively safe here."

"Should be?" Kyo muttered.

But no one else said anything. Yuki thought only about the availability of some place out of the rain and wind to sleep. There might even be a fire, and maybe something to eat, but he was too exhausted to encourage the others with these possibilities.

As they made their way across the last gasp, the drizzle became a downpour.

The whole group followed Belduine in a clump, straining to see beyond the sudden sheet of rain that slicked their hair to their faces and soaked the remaining dry patches of their clothes. It was as if the sky had waited for some promise of shelter before wringing the last of the water from the clouds upon their heads. The terrain became muddier and muddier, to the point where Yuki stopped noticing the difference between walking through mud and sloshing through puddles. Under Belduine's cloak, Tohru shivered and even the impassive Hana was starting to look drowned.

At length, when he was almost too tired, wet, and blinded by rain to care anymore, he found himself on the doorstep of an A-frame style house. It appeared out of nowhere, looming suddenly out of the trees and beside a dirt path that led to an actual road within eye distance. Yuki stared at the road for a minute, trying to force his mind to think, when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Come on," he heard Belduine whisper, and leaving his thoughts with the rain, Yuki filed with the others through a door.

The absence of rain thundering on his head was only slightly less welcome then the sudden warmth of golden lamp light. Yuki found himself standing on a plain wood floor in an even plainer room. Benches set against the wall and a wooden table in front of a fire place were the only noticeable furnishings, but they looked glorious.

Uo was already walking around, her eyes peering this way and that, before she plopped down on one of the benches and beckoned Hana and Tohru to join her. They did, Hana sitting gracefully and Torhu sinking between her friends still wrapped in Belduine's cloak. Unceremoniously, Uo eased Touru's head to her shoulder and gently patted the girl's hair.

All around him, everyone was sitting, moving over to the benches or slumping on the floor next to the wall. Akito sat by himself against the wall, shivering in his sopping robes, dark hair plastered about his face. Across the room, Yuki had never seen Kyo look so exhausted; so much so that he was haunted momentarily by the lack of the bracelet around his wrist. Everyone else was in varied states of exhaustion, with only Kagura managing to look bright-eyed despite having taken off her boots to stretch mud-caked toes on the wooden floor.

Other than Yuki, Belduine was the only one standing, and he was speaking urgently to an old man in brown robes, the material shapeless except where it was tied around his middle with a simple woven belt. Belduine's eyes shone as he spoke, tripping over his words in order to get them all out, and the old man smiled indulgently at him as he did, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder and easing him to silence. When Belduine stopped speaking, the man raised his eyes to regard the rest of them.

"Welcome. I hope you will all make yourselves at home while you are here. I have some changes in clothes for most of you, I believe, at least for while you're other things are drying. You have a long way to travel yet and I will help you in your journey any way that I can, for this is a charitable house that seeks no sides. In the mean time, would anyone be interested in dinner?"

TBC

please remember my short story! if anyone is interested... Thank you so much!


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